Not So Different
by KillerUchiha
Summary: "Wh- what the hell! Naruto, what did you do!" Konoha's Number One Knucklehead Ninja is up for new prank, and his target is Uchiha Sasuke. There's been a little switch in the Uchiha's daily routine.
1. The Switch

Yay, my first fiction of Sasuke and Naruto. Hope you like this bit!

~sSs~

It was perhaps an hour or two that he had been able to rest. Naruto, though completely awake and alert, was still very drowsy from the training he had done the night before. It seemed hopeless. He practiced until his hands were numb, with his kunai and stars, but his aim still couldn't beat that jerk Sasuke's! Blisters and calluses covered his rough hands, and the fact that he had used his Kage Bunshin technique in order to continue practice, even while he needed rest, did its toll on him. He would show that teme, he would! It irked him so unbelievably terribly how the teme just stood there and smirked, acting all cool. He wasn't all that impressive.

Anyone could be like that if they tried. All I would have to do, Naruto thought, is talk to no one, not that hard, right? Mutter usuratonkachi every once in a while, that's easy; and pretend I don't care about anything. That teme doesn't know how to live. How can he be so boring? He took a deep breath through his nose, and let the air out in a long sigh. He had it easy. He was, as Iruka-sensei said, special. But, what was so special about him? Naruto was special, too, and he knew it. A long, drawn yawn told Naruto of his old friend's awakening.

"You know," the Kyuubi droned, "if you like that brat's life so much, why not ask me for a time in it?" Naruto blinked at the ceiling. The fox could do that?

Naruto asked his demon curiously, "What do you mean?" Kyuubi wasn't as bad as most people thought. He protected Naruto; cared for him; kept him alive, even if it was partially for himself. He did more for Naruto than the village had ever done. Despite first hating the fox, for destroying what his life could have been, with his mother and father, wherever they were, Naruto had long since come to be on good terms with the spirit.

"Well, you know that there are three parts to your body, physical, mental and spiritual, right? Manipulating chakra, in a sense, is manipulating the spirit, if only the energy it gives." Silence. Kyuubi sighed; he would have to get better definitions on the child's level of thinking. "Hmm…" then, the perfect thought struck him. "Your ramen. When it's hot, it gives off steam. Now, imagine that steam being your chakra. If you blow on it, you control where the steam is going, but not the source, the bowl. So, when you manipulate chakra, you are using the steam of energy that your spirit produces."

"…So? What's chakra got to do with me getting a time when Sakura-chan likes me?"

"I'm a demon. I control more than just the energy. I can swipe away the soul, and let's say 'seal' it far away from where it once came from, then, easily remove the 'seal' and the soul will drift off to find its body."

Naruto paused. "You're saying that you can make us switch bodies, or something, like in those weird movies, and the people say some magic stuff, then wake up in another place than they fell asleep, then they have to figure out how to switch back before it becomes permanent or a tragic death happens, just because there are always deaths in a lot of movies?"

The Kyuubi snorted at the child's example, but, instead of trying to explain the differences, which Naruto wouldn't even remember, said, "Eh…close enough. But, then there is a matter with his memories and—"

Naruto continued as if he hadn't heard anything after 'close enough.' "Cool, then I could be the one everyone likes, then Sakura-chan would—"

"But there's a problem, see I can't leave. I can't unseal my own spirit from this place, and the Uchiha won't survive in a rock."

Naruto didn't see the problem. "Well, wouldn't you be attacked if you escaped me, anyway, and…wait a minute. I would die if you left my body!" That was a problem that wouldn't have to be dealt with for quite some time. The Fourth's seal was nearly impossible to break. Only a very skilled and practiced ninja could attempt to directly remove Naruto's seal. "What's the problem? I leave, then come back after messing up Sasuke's life."

"You see, Naruto, the spiritual exchange won't do precisely what—"

"It'll be the ultimate prank! Come on, Kyuubi-chan…" Wait, did Naruto just call him—he would pay later. He needed to get his point across.

"You plan on destroying Sasuke's reputation, then? You realize that, if I do get you there, he will need to go somewhere else, meaning, the only open body at my disposal." Naruto wasn't thrilled about being acknowledged as such, but let the fox continue. "He will be here, and so will I. He isn't allowed to know that I'm here, by that law the present Hokage put in place. How easy is it for you to sense me, sense my feelings, when I'm angry or content? Don't you ever hear me talking?" Naruto nodded, though the Kyuubi couldn't see it, he knew the boy's mind well enough. "He will notice."

"Just do it, for a bit, maybe right before he wakes up, and right after I fall asleep. Then, he'll think it was all a terrible dream."

The fox chuckled lightly. "You think it as simple as that?" Another nod. "If you insist." The Kyuubi thought quietly, it'll be your own fault for wanting to humiliate him so badly that you left yourself open to attack." Ah, well. He could do a little to protect Naruto's memories, while he was away. The boy didn't want the explanation; he was too excited to know he could now pull the ultimate prank on his nemesis. "I need to see the target," Kyuubi finally said, "and bring a towel."

~sSs~

Naruto couldn't help but laugh at the prospect of what he could do. Sasuke was in for the humiliation of his life! The road that led to the Uchiha's home was often passed, on Naruto's way to his apartment, after training. He couldn't miss the old police building. Naruto, quietly as he could, crept around the house to a back window. It wasn't lit by the street light. "Kid, look up."

Kyuubi didn't bother whispering, because no one else could hear him, but that didn't stop Naruto from letting out a quiet "Shush…" Kyuubi rolled his eyes, from behind the cage. "By the way," he asked mentally, "what's the towel for?"

"Just get in." Naruto climbed in through an open window. Hah, bad luck to leave a window open on this night of all nights. He slipped silently across the wooden floor, making his way down a dark hall. Then, there was a grunt. He froze. Naruto had to subdue his giggles, at the sound he heard after a few seconds. The Uchiha was snoring! And loudly, he might add. "Now, tie the towel in a knot." Naruto went about the curious task, then waited for further instructions. "Now, put that in your mouth and bite. Hard."

"What? Why?"

"Imagine that you fell into an active volcano, and you will almost know what this will feel like. Getting your soul torn clean out of your body is no peaceful task."

Naruto paused, but shoved the wadded up ball of fabric in his mouth, clamping it down with his teeth. "Why won't Sasuke-teme feel any pain?"

"He will. It won't any more pleasant for him, but what did you think you were getting yourself into?"

He glared at still air. "Why does it have to hurt?"

"Everything a demon does ends up with the pain of a human, intentionally or not, now quiet. Shingi Kinbaku no Jutsu," he growled, and fire burned Naruto's bones, ice speared his flesh. The villagers were all there, watching his soul leave his body. Watching him helpless and in pain. Some were helping, throwing bricks from afar, hoping to speed up the process. The pain was slowly increasing. The inferno burned hotter, the frozen shards dug deeper, the rocks and loose pieces of board struck harder. He didn't see it, but he felt it. He didn't even see Sasuke thrash as he dreams turned dark.

Sasuke awoke, abruptly, both from hearing a sudden outcry, and from that nightmare. Itachi was there, taunting him, telling him how weak he was. He relived his parents deaths again. The memories, which he had tried so hard to forget, were back and imprinted in his mind. He looked up from his sheets, to see a crying Naruto, a thick piece of cloth hanging from his mouth, but the illusion only lasted a split second. He fell into a dreamless sleep. The body of an unconscious Naruto, somehow appeared in his small apartment, covered and in wrinkly pajamas, as if he had never left the building.

~sSs~

Not many hours later, after fainting of the agony, Naruto awoke, thinking irritated thoughts. Sasuke-teme gets a bad dream, and I get _that_? I sure hope it won't be as bad when I return. He glanced down, unraveling his hands from the sheets he didn't remember covering himself with. "I wonder what—?" Naruto clamped his, or Sasuke's, hand over his mouth. Letting up a bit, he murmured, "Whoa…that sounds so weird." He listened to Sasuke's voice speaking his words.

Suddenly finding himself wanting to see the teme's reaction to this switch, Naruto hyperactively leapt from the sheets, swinging open the closet door, which had several identical blue shirts, a red and white Uchiha fan stitched on the back. "He must have a hard time choosing what to wear each day." He snatched up one of the tops, and jammed a head through it, while turning toward the wooden dresser that stood opposite the blue bed. After successfully tugging the crushed collar back to it original state, Naruto opened the top drawer.

"Books? Why's he need those boring things?" The second, wrappings. "Oh yeah, almost forgot that. Iruka-sensei would notice, I bet, if I forgot something. Sakura probably would too, she stares at him so long." He tossed the roll behind him, so he could wind the white material around his legs after finding the shorts. He searched that drawer deeper, and found his kunai pouch. He went another drawer down. "Hah, there they are." Naruto dressed, trying to think if he remembered everything. He didn't realize how much Sasuke had to do until now. He only saw a crest on an indigo shirt, white shorts and a forehead protector. Naruto had never bothered to notice anything else.

Now what? Naruto wondered, as he wrapped the fabric around his shins. Right, his white elbow sleeves. As Naruto expected, they were just one more drawer down. "Neat freak," Naruto muttered in Sasuke's dark tones. Naruto thought that it would be very difficult for him not to laugh whenever he spoke that day. Twisting his pale arms through the wide sleeves, Naruto walked aimlessly around the Uchiha's home. "Where's the kitchen? Anything to eat around here?" When he found the space, he thought it was huge, but, compared to his apartment, everything here was huge; the bathrooms, bedrooms, halls, kitchen…

On the center of an island, sat a basket of shining red tomatoes. "Ugh, vegetables. Yuck." Nevertheless, he approached the still wicker. Almost unconsciously, Naruto plucked a cherry colored sphere from the top of the pyramid. Wait, I don't want to eat this, Naruto thought, but Sasuke did. He was used to eating one daily, for heath purposes. Tomatoes had a natural antioxidant, lycopene. The real Naruto would have run from such a scary food, but Sasuke wouldn't. He tossed the fruit in the air, catching it with one hand, as he walked toward the exit of his home. Naruto wanted to drop the evil thing, but it didn't happen. Why didn't he have complete control?

Why didn't Kyuubi tell me I wouldn't be able to be in charge? Naruto wondered, innocently. He didn't know the fox had tried to tell him, but failed to relay the message. Naruto suddenly realized that he didn't know much about the technique at all. He didn't know how he would be affected or what things he could or couldn't do.

No, no, no! I don't want to eat it! Naruto screamed in his mind, but the brain of the body ignored its new spirit. A juicy, gushing bite of sweet tomato flooded his mouth. Naruto, however, didn't freak out as he expected. This tastes, he pondered a moment, good. Who would've guessed? The inside was slightly sugary, and just a bit cool from the air, yet the outside skin was warm, from being in his hands. Small seeds slid past his throat as he swallowed what Naruto thought must be the first real plant he had ever had in his life, or Sasuke's rather. He was unexpectedly calm at the prospect of eating the fruit, as well. That was Sasuke's brain influencing the body, despite the other soul telling him different. How much could he do, and how many things would the other mind stop him from doing? Oh well, he thought. I guess a tomato wasn't so bad.

"Hmm," he wondered aloud, "if I ate that, what else can I do that isn't normal?" He slid a kunai from his pouch and looked around. There was his target, a simple thin tree, thich enough for the kunai not to go in too deep, but thin enough to need decent aim. Whipping his arm around, Naruto aimed about three feet away, but Sasuke's arm didn't obey. The knife hit dead center. This, Naruto thought, could be a problem in making him look bad.

"Anyway," he said aloud, with a stretch of arms, after devouring the morning snack. "I better get home and see how Sasuke takes this change."


	2. The Reaction

I know that it's shorter, but I'll soon get longer ones out. I'm sorry for lack of detail. I wrote from memory. I also hope that this is or soon will be as fun to read as you think, _The Phantom Dragon_.

~sSs~

Naruto leapt quietly across the roofs of the village. Within minutes, he was standing on the roof of his home. He peeked in. The blonde was stirring in his sleep, quietly mumbling. Just in time, Naruto thought gleefully. Sasuke leaned forward, rubbing his eyes. His tanned hand went up to scratch his head, but it froze. What was on his head? Sasuke tore the cap off, staring at it, then his hands. He was silent for a while, just moving his arms, watching his hands, then, he looked up at the mirror opposite the orange sheeted bed. He was about to scream, before he realized that he couldn't, since it was too unlike him.

Naruto couldn't stop himself. In a blink, he was through the window, standing before the golden haired teen, ebony eyes gleaming, a foolish grin plastered on the pale face. "Morning, dobe," Naruto laughed. Even the surprising and almost frightening sound of the Uchiha's laughter couldn't stop him. Sasuke clenched his teeth, after regaining his senses. It wasn't everyday that you wake up in another's body, having the other you suddenly drop into the home that wasn't really yours.

"Wh- what the hell! Naruto, what did you do!" he shouted, suddenly clamping a hand over his mouth. He sounded like Naruto!

"Hey, I did the same thing!" Naruto said through his gales. The unusual laughter subsided to a small chuckle, then, "You need to laugh more often. I bet you've never laughed until now, when I forced you to. And besides, _I_ didn't do anything." Technically speaking, Kyuubi performed the jutsu. Naruto wasn't lying, not really. That doesn't mean I didn't know about this, he thought.

"We- we…how did this happen?" Sasuke demanded. Naruto hid his snickers. He had to admit; Sasuke's overly pissed expression on his face was pretty hilarious. His whisker marks and adorable blue eyes couldn't show all of the hate Sasuke's normal features could. "And quit laughing! It looks…"

"What? Is it so bad to laugh once in a while?" Naruto casually questioned.

"Yes!" Naruto pouted, white lip slightly quivering, black eyes sparkling cutely. "Get that look off my face!" Sasuke growled.

Naruto sighed, dropping the sappy appearance. "Lighten up. You're going to have to, if you're going to be me." Naruto decided that if he couldn't make everyone around him think Sasuke was a loser, then at least he could make him eat ramen, and be happy…and talk more…and be more Naruto-like, and other stuff.

A sliver of surprise and something near fear crossed the blondes eyes, but it quickly passed. Sasuke stated firmly, "I am not. There is no way that I'm going to pretend to be you."

Naruto smirked, a much more Sasuke-like grin. "Of course you will. Because, if you don't, I'm going to go full out Naruto in this body. And you can't stop me." It was an empty threat, Naruto knew, but Sasuke didn't. He refused to even think that he could watch Naruto be stupid while under his guise. "No! I can be you. It's easy, ttebayo!" he yelled.

"Can you accept all of Sakura's punches and not try to dodge a single one?" Naruto asked.

Pulling a leaf from Shikamaru's book, Sasuke said, "She's a girl. How bad could she hit?" Then, after a moment's thought, the lost look seeming very strange on Naruto's usually thoughtless visage. "Wait. I'll just change, using the transformation technique." Sasuke nodded, that was a good plan.

"But," Naruto began, "how long can you last with my skill, which, by the way, you say _doesn't exist_?" Sasuke groaned. Naruto sucked, big time. Why couldn't the dropout have at least some skill? Sasuke doubted the dobe could last more than a few minutes. Of all the times in the world, why did he have to use logic now? "Shouldn't you be thanking me?"

"What?"

"Well, if I hadn't told you not to, you would've gone and transformed. Then, while your…_fan girls _were surrounding you, it might've failed, leaving you in my form. The people that love and annoy you would've beaten the crap out of you." Sasuke cursed. Again, why the logic now?

"Fine. A-arigato…Sasuke-teme." Sasuke muttered. Naruto grinned again. "But, you have to pretend to be me, too. You can't eat ramen, or smile, or beg Sakura to date you, or talk at all for that matter. You have to answer questions correctly, and do real work!"

"As long as you keep being the clown, I'll be a dark, brooding, want-people-to-quit-bugging-me person. See? You're easier than me, dobe." Naruto proceeded to cross his arms and glare at Sasuke. His dark eyebrows, gleaming ebony irises, and soft but no lighter locks all blending together with a shadow beneath the eyes.

Sasuke shook his head. "You can't just look angry. I'm not angry."

"Then what are you?" Naruto dropped his arms, putting them up behind his head in his more natural pose.

Sasuke glared through bright blue eyes, not changing much from what Naruto had done. "Just don't act dumb, d—I mean…teme."

Naruto nodded. "Sure thing, dobe. Make sure to be late for school. Since you're probably a beginner, just paint a few words and pictures on a wall or something. You aren't ready for any real pranks." He turned towards to window. "There's red paint under the bed." Then, he was gone. Sasuke grumbled. When he found out who did this, the person responsible for switching him with that dobe was going to hell. Then, Sasuke would summon them back to life, and kill them again, and once more for good measure. As they say, third time's the charm.

Sasuke looked around. How was he supposed to get dressed if he couldn't even see a closet or dresser. The dobe was completely unorganized.

~sSs~

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" several girls chanted, as Naruto walked by. Sasuke's mind demanded that he ignore them, despite Naruto's inward whining for Sakura. He wanted to sit by her, too, but the teme wouldn't let him. As soon as he was out of earshot, Naruto was suddenly allowed to speak, but mutter quietly only. Sakura wouldn't hear him at his loudest.

"Stupid Sasuke," Naruto murmured. "Doesn't talk or anything fun." Naruto sat and sighed, waiting for class to begin. After all, this was his last day at the academy. He would be getting a team today. He really wanted to be with Sakura, but, the way things were, he was now hoping Sasuke would go with her, then, when Kyuubi switched them back, he could be on Sakura's team. There were about two minutes left before school started.

Then...boom. "Sorry I'm late!" Sasuke yelled, swinging the door near off its hinges. Most kids were thinking a similar thought. Did Naruto just apologize for being late, when he was still a few minutes early? Or, wow, the idiot's on time for once, and not tied up.

Naruto so badly wanted to slap himself on the forehead; no, he wanted to slap Sasuke. Didn't the teme know the difference between early and late? I guess he couldn't handle a tardy on his records, even if it was in my body. Annoying teme. At least, Naruto thought, he had the decency to yell like me, and not go all formal like, "Hn, my apologies for the lack of punctualay, or puntulity," or whatever the word was.

Sasuke coughed uncomfortably, and let his eyes hover over to the dobe's. Naruto jerked his head. Sasuke shuffled over to the inky haired boy. As soon as he got close enough, he, without wanting to, jumped on the desk in front of Naruto. "What the hell are you doing?" Naruto hissed. "You're early, not late!" No one could hear their words, but they could see a ticked off Sasuke, who was actually Naruto. Then,"…And why are you on the desk?"

"It's your body. You know what it does. Anyway, I only thought I was late enough, because I couldn't find any clothes in that pigsty you call home."

Naruto crossed his arms. "You didn't paint any walls, did you?" A look was all he received. Naruto leaned forward. "Just act more like me. I'm never on time. Next time, don't be early."

Sasuke paused. Next time? How long were they going to be stuck like this? "_I_ didn't have anything to do with this, so _you_ must've screwed up a jutsu." Sparks flew between their eyes. "It's your fault we—" But then, a boy stretched his arms, his elbow nudging Sasuke's back, just enough for…

"Ack!" Naruto and Sasuke choked. They turned away, coughing as if something the size of a watermelon had lodged itself in their throats. "Disgusting!" Sasuke managed.

Naruto only hacked, "I've been poisoned!"

After many seconds of dying, Sasuke and Naruto began to register the screams in the background. "Naruto…" growled a pink-haired girl, cracking her knuckles. A few other females behind her following suit. "You are so dead!"

Naruto whispered, "I suggest running." But it was far too late for Sasuke. Even with his regular skills, he sometimes had difficulty escaping the rabid fan girls. Now, he had no head start, no speed, no cover, and no disguise. Naruto almost felt bad for the teme, but he dealt with stuff like that everyday. Sasuke could handle it once.


	3. The Light in the Cave

If Naruto had the air in his lungs to yell, he would've, but those girls were relentless! He didn't have lung space to spare for shouting air, only running air. He passed street after street, rounded corner after corner, bounded over countless rooftops, but they wouldn't stop! It was as if they were connected to him by invisible strings, so that, no matter how far he went, they would find him. Naruto didn't know that Sasuke had to deal with these people. Sure, he knew they liked him, but not this much! Then, as he passed through another crowd, curious as to why the Uchiha was running, he noticed something. It was orange.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled, forgetting his appearance. "Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke!" It never crossed his mind as to why the Uchiha's thoughts didn't cover up the cries for help. "Sasuke…" he panted, once close enough to the blonde. "Sasuke, they're after me! Tell me how to escape!" Naruto, one, Sasuke one.

"What? Hey, get away from me! They'll see me, too!" Sasuke growled. "They think I kissed you on purpose, when some kid pushed me!"

Naruto didn't care about that. He would fume over the lip touch later, but he just needed an escape route, right now. "Just help! I'll get this switch thing sorted out, I promise. Just tell me where to go!" Sasuke looked around. For some reason, the villagers seemed to be ignoring him, acting as if he wasn't there. No one walked around him; no one let him pass with a nod or word of pity. He thought everyone would know him while in Naruto's body, but that was wrong.

"Fine, follow me." Sasuke weaved through the crowds, Naruto tagging quickly behind.

~sSs~

"Wait, isn't this just your house?" questioned the boy with jet-black hair. "How is this any safer?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Not my house, dobe. The place under it." Naruto stood silent for a minute, before Sasuke gave up with words, and just shoved him from behind. "Get going, before they catch on."

Naruto, after a strong hit to his shoulders, moaned a quiet, "Oww," before stepping into the Uchiha home. Sasuke, once inside, led the dobe with gestures, not seeing reason to make him talk, and further give away their whereabouts to the restless predators. He waved a hand, signaling for Naruto to follow. Why was he helping his nemesis? Sasuke didn't know, but he thought it best to keep his body out of harms way, while Naruto was inside it. Sasuke started towards his room. Once in, he pulled the shades down, just in case any wandering eyes decided to pry. "Why are you—" Naruto began, before Sasuke slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Trust me. No annoying girls are going to want to follow us, even if they did find this entrance. There's a genjutsu, so anyone but an Uchiha, me, will be trapped, seeing nothing but a normal floor, upon coming too near of it."

Naruto stopped. "Then, what am I supposed to do? I'm not an Uchiha." Naruto paused. "And, why's the 'entrance' in your room, anyway?" He honestly didn't see any amazing entrance.

Sasuke looked back, that fathomless glare trying to break through the soft ocean blue irises. "You are the Uchiha. I have to guide you, so keep a hand on my shoulder."

"But…but where're we going? There's nothing here but—" Sasuke knelt, pulling at the floor boards of his closet. "You gotta be kidding. And no one found something like that in a closet?" Everyone hides stuff in their closet!

"Naruto, it doesn't sound hollow, does it? Unless a Hyuuga came and specifically searched this area, even they would pass up the corridor." Sasuke looked up from what seemed the entrance of a common meat cellar. "Do you want to escape with me, or be mauled by them?" Naruto sighed. He took Sasuke's shoulder, like he was asked, and followed the blond teen down.

"Say, Sasuke, how are we going to see?" Sasuke finished latching the trapdoor, sealing off all light. "How are we going to breathe!" Naruto suddenly yelled, very close to Sasuke's ear. The blonde flinched.

"Not so loud, dobe!" he hushed. Naruto held his breath, silencing himself. "We'll see with fire, and breath by the air coming from the cave opening. It's a trek, but I'm used to it. I go there to train, away from the village pests. It's a labyrinth down there, so don't go running off." Sasuke knelt, and Naruto, not wanting to be left alone in the dark, crouched as well. He kept one hand on Sasuke's shoulder. Then, there were clicks.

"Ah, what's that?" Naruto whispered harshly. "What lives down in this cave of yours, Sasuke?" Naruto felt him shrug.

"Bats, insects. It's a normal cave, with an unusual opening is all."

"What clicked? Bats flutter, not click!"

Sasuke sighed. "You usuratonkachi. I'm striking flint. If I used a jutsu at this range, we'd both be burned to a smoldering crisp." Another strike, and a spark flared. Sasuke picked up the torch that was always there. He didn't trust flashlights. They had a nasty habit of going out right when you needed light most. This way, his chakra would be the flame burning. Sasuke looked behind him, following the tight arm to the shivering form that looked as if it might scream or start crying. "Idiot, get that pathetic look off my face. Why are you so scared, anyway? It's just a cave." Naruto slowed his quiver.

"I just…I don't…"

Sasuke stared at him, hard. "What?"

"I don't like the dark, and I especially don't like fire in the dark." Sasuke raised a yellow brow. "If you have cold dark, you can't see what's around you, what might attack you. But, if you light a fire, you only illuminate yourself. You make yourself a target, in exchange for sight and warmth." Naruto hung his head. "I know, I know. Only little kids are afraid of the dark." He couldn't help it. When he was younger, and weaker, people used to catch him ,and beat him in a small, dark alley. No one helped either. No one would want to.

But, it seemed good judgment to Sasuke. He didn't think about fire like that until now. "I never thought I'd say this to you, but your idea…makes perfect sense." Naruto's eyes shot up. "So, under the clown guise, you had some intellect."

"Hey, Sasuke. How come we can act like ourselves like this now, but not in class, like when you jumped on my desk?" Naruto would rather ask Kyuubi, because he probably knew, while Sasuke could only guess. "Is it because we're the only ones that know about our little 'switch'?"

Sasuke shrugged again. He and Naruto stood. "Who knows? I already swore to send whoever did do this to hell, though." Naruto fought the urge to gulp. He tried to change the subject. But, what would change it to? "Anyway, let's go." Naruto nodded, and followed the blonde, the orange jumpsuit glowing by the firelight. The way he saw Sasuke lit up like a carroty colored form just proved Naruto's point further. Fire made you a target.

"Maybe that's why…" Naruto murmured. Sasuke looked back.

"What?"

"Nothing. Nothing." They walked a ways, Naruto flinching whenever he heard a shift of the shadows. Sasuke kept scolding him out, telling him to stop doing that in his body. It could've been fifteen minutes, or an hour, as they worked their way through the maze. They inched across a ledge, an underground stream gushing ahead. Naruto gasped, as he stepped on a wet stone. "Wah!" He pin wheeled his arms about, attempting to keep his balance.

Sasuke hardly had time to turn, as Naruto leaned towards the dark fissure, hungry, deep, quick waters lining its distant center. "What? Naruto, you—" Then, Naruto, with his eyes tightly closed, grabbed for whatever he could, hooking his thin fingers around Sasuke's collar, sending them both to the ravine. They both screamed, however, Sasuke was yelling at how stupid the dobe was, much less out of fear. The fall for Naruto was endless, it seemed. He wanted to find something solid to hold on to, other than a ticked off Uchiha's shirt collar.

Naruto's cold, slender hands groped the air, but found no ledge, no nothing. "Usuratonkachi!" Naruto heard Sasuke yell. But then, the chilled water struck, and Naruto was soon out. "Kuso," Sasuke cursed, as he felt the body stop fighting. He didn't have the slightest idea where the torch was lost, but he needed to worry about light later. What good would a fire do, now? The current sucked him down, along with an unconscious Naruto. "Nande…"

~sSs~

Naruto shifted. He could feel coarse rock particles scraping against the skin of his legs and arms. What had happened? Were they still in that cave? Naruto suddenly sat up straight. "Sasuke? Sasuke!"

"Dobe. Why did you have to grab my shirt?" Sasuke groaned. There were footsteps, and Naruto felt something take the material around his neck. The fist that clenched it would strangle and kill him in seconds, if it was around his neck. "I would've had a better chance of finding you if I had climbed down and followed the water, but now I haven't the slightest idea where we are!" Naruto had his hands above the tanned fist, trying to pry it of. "You have no idea how much I want to punch you, right now."

"But, you can't hit yourself."

"Yeah, but I'm getting over the notion." He gave the dobe a quick blow to the jaw. Not as hard as he could, but enough to lower his anger, if just a bit. It left Naruto sprawled on the cave floor. Naruto couldn't see him, so he was unable to retaliate. He could only rub the sore spot, where he was sure a bruise would form.

"Damn, teme," he cursed quietly, but loud enough for Sasuke's trained shinobi ears to hear. "We gotta get out, and knocking me out a second time won't help!"

Sasuke growled. Naruto had heard, again, the strange Sasuke snarl escape his lips. "Well, the torch was lost, and most of my chakra was used trying to save your drowning butt!"

Naruto frowned. It was pitch black, and no one above ground would be able to hear them. They didn't even know how far down below ground level they had fallen. "This is a serious problem."

"What was your first clue, genius?" Naruto copied Sasuke's growl perfectly. "Let's start walking…" For what seemed like hours to the duo, they walked in the darkness, taking great care not fall.

"We aren't getting anywhere," Sasuke finally said. We need to see something of our surroundings. Naruto, use Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu."

Naruto turned towards the source of the voice. "Huh?"

"Use Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu. It will send small flames in all directions, not one large ball, so we can gat a clue as to where we are. Rat, tiger, dog, ox, hare, tiger; those are the seals."

"Ano, ano, right: rat, tiger, dog, ox, hare, tiger." Remembering seeing Sasuke practice this once, he brought his fingers to his lips, and blew. Flames went spreading in random patterns, Naruto not having decided where to send them, before performing the technique. The inferno scattered, breaking off bits and pieces of stalactites, bombarding the boys beneath.

The light burned their eyes, but they saw that if they were going anywhere, it wouldn't be up. "Naruto, cut the technique! Put out the flames!" Sasuke yelled, as he dodged another stone shard. Sasuke saw him put his arms up for the release seal, but then it was once again darkness. "Well…that was helpful." Naruto's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah, it was," Sasuke said. "We should get walking."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

~sSs~

For what seemed hours, the two wandered aimlessly, hoping to see even the smallest glimmer of light. Sasuke still blamed Naruto for getting them lost, but figured he could yell later. Now was the time for thinking, not panicking or exploding in waiting anger. They hardly said a word, much to Naruto's displeasure. He needed to talk to someone, even if it was Sasuke. An exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "Ah, I'm bored. Can't you say anything, teme? Like, tell me why this place was below your room."

"Why?"

Naruto grumbled. "Because I'm bored and want to talk. That's why."

Sasuke sighed. "Didn't you notice when we were still close to the closet entry? The caverns weren't made specifically to open into my room. Ninja created that escape path connecting to the before I was born. It used to be hidden by a regular stone in a garden, before our house was built above it. I noticed a crack in the floor boards when digging through that closet, when I was younger. To me, back then, I thought I had found the ultimate hiding place, for objects of value, things I didn't want thrown out, or a place to be alone. I never ventured too far into it until I was about seven, when…a man killed my family. I wanted to escape him, so I ran in there." Naruto tried not to gape. Had Sasuke-teme really just spoken that much at once. He wasn't done, though. "I wandered like we are now, often keeping a string or something with me, so I could find the exit. Memorizing one path piece by piece, I kept in mind that one trail that lead to my training ground. The rest of this is a mystery, for I only know that path. I didn't dare try to find a shortcut, because caves aren't always designed like you think they are. I suggest we do anything but stop walking, because then we'll get absolutely nowhere." Naruto nodded, though Sasuke couldn't see that.

"So then, who—" Naruto cut himself short. "Light!" He ran forward without warning, running into Sasuke instead, effectively knocking both of them to the ground. He relieved himself of the shock of hitting that solid barrier, then, "Look, teme!"

Sasuke from below groaned, "Get off me, dobe." Naruto rolled to the side, and away from the shinobi. "What are you talking about? There's no light, only the light of your hallucinations."

"No, no, really. Look!" Naruto reached around the ground, feeling bits of gravel and sand beneath them. Then, he found the clothing of Sasuke's jacket. Without warning, he snatched up the sleeve in death grip, hauling Sasuke and himself to their feet. "Come on!" Naruto wasn't going to wait for a yes or no.

"Let me go, Naruto!" But the charcoal eyed boy had his eyes set, and ears no longer listening. But, after just a few hundred feet, Sasuke could see the faintest shade of gray paint itself over the continuous black. How did he see that when I didn't? Oh right, he's in my body. He can probably see better than I can with his eyes. Now, Sasuke was running with Naruto, not being dragged. The highlight grew brighter as they neared. It was closer. They could both feel their freedom of the cave, but as they rounded a thick stalagmite, those thoughts scattered.

"Ah, a ghost!" Naruto cried out, the call resonating throughout the cave, echoing in uncounted hollows.

"That isn't a ghost, idiot. It's…" but Sasuke didn't know either.


	4. The Madman and the Fox

The small blue orb was dotted with black pinpricks, the light flowing like a small fire, miniature beads swimming across the surface. Bits of gold peeked its way through the indigo shell, but only for brief moments. The yellow flickered from within the sphere, almost overpowering the sapphire, before being sucked back into the watery substance, to one again be burned by azure flames.

"Ah, a ghost!" Naruto cried out, the call resonating throughout the cave, echoing in uncounted hollows.

"That isn't a ghost, idiot. It's…" but Sasuke didn't know either.

"It's…it's…what the heck, it's bugs!" Naruto shouted.

Sasuke growled once more. "Dobe, not so loud!" Even so, he peered at the object in question. He didn't understand where Naruto got 'bugs.' Lightning bugs couldn't survive in this dark cave, nor did they produce a blue light.

"Hmm…" Naruto considered. He didn't hear Sasuke ask 'What, what are you thinking?' He nodded to himself, before charging for the cloud of fireflies.

Sasuke went after him in an instant. "Hey, quit doing stupid things in my body!" But, since Naruto was much faster with Sasuke's legs, he avoided capture. Sasuke knew that Naruto would never make it out alone, so reluctantly followed. The insects scattered, much to Sasuke's amazement. So, they were bugs, he thought.

"Follow those bugs!" Naruto called out, never stopping, though running was easier with the slight light. Sasuke really didn't want to know why glowing insects that should be dead just so happened to compact themselves together so near to where the two had just so happened to wander…And, just so happened to shatter their hopes of escape. If Naruto hadn't slipped, this never would've happened, thought a bitter Sasuke.

The duo could see little of their surroundings, but both had some help by having trained eyes, if not professional. Naruto never wavered in his step, while Sasuke was having trouble keeping up. It is probably the lack of skill this body has. That was Sasuke's guess for the minor mistakes he was making.

"Come on, we're losing them, teme!" Since when have nocturnal insects been faster than ninja, wondered Sasuke. "Hey, they're slowing down…" Naruto skidded to a halt, almost too soon for Sasuke, but they managed not to collide. "What the hell? Who're you?"

"Saburo. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time, Uchiha." Naruto stared. The man was young, but had an ancient air about him, as if he aged slowly, but time continued, or he knew something that no one else did. He obviously knew about the cave. "What, is that young blond fellow your next victim? Why not lock us all up? You will never take another soul!" he screamed with wide eyes, nostrils flaring, and fists clenched. He opened his mouth in a silent battle cry, earning but confusion from Naruto and Sasuke.

"What's he doing? Fighting with silence and stillness?" questioned Naruto.

But, then they heard the wings, and the shrieks, and the clicks. "You will pay, Uchiha, for stealing everything my life could have been!" Bats, spiders, you name it, they were there, preparing to attack Naruto's pale figure. Naruto cursed mentally. Did he have to be in the teme's body now? He should've picked a different day.

"Um, we…"—Naruto gulped—"we should go, Sasuke. Sasuke?" Kuso, that teme did _not_ just ditch me! Kyuubi what do I—but he stopped. The fox wasn't there. He would have to get out of this on his own. Think like Sasuke. Think like Sasuke. But, Naruto was fresh out of ideas, and reverted to his old self, running like heck, and yelling as if Sakura had found him in his normal body and was going to kill him for that little kiss earlier that day. Or was it yesterday? Who knows how long they had been in the cavern.

So it seems that I can still be my complete self when I'm most emotional, and there's no outside source pressuring the mind to act as it usually does. What the—sure, now I get all technical. You stupid brain! Why didn't you start thinking before, with all those animals around me? Naruto cursed Sasuke once more aloud, as he ran from the spot, hoping not to find anything blocking his path for him to run into, but that's all. He could only hope for a path without obstacles. Then, a strange power made him stop. Light grew from behind, but it wasn't blue or dim yellow. "What's—" The orange blaze grew brighter, far more so than the crazy man's chakra had been. "Oh no, Kyuubi!"

Despite knowing about the bats and poisonous little critters attempting to maim him, Naruto didn't stop. He was in complete and total control now, for his fear of Sasuke finding out about his secret, his worry of the cave collapsing if Kyuubi unleashed his power, his concern about what could happen if they all died now, forced back any thoughts that Sasuke's mind could have possibly cooked up.

"What did teme do to unleash him?"

Boom. Crash. Boom. Crash.

BOOM. And a scream; a human shriek. Naruto murmured, "Sasuke! What's Kyuubi doing?" He didn't mean for anyone to die, when he asked Kyuubi to help him with this prank. That wasn't at all what he expected. It was supposed to be fun, not murderous. "Fuzaken na!" Naruto couldn't think of anything good to say about to situation, and decided to compose his vocabulary with mere swear words. Kyuubi was out, while not in his body; Sasuke would find out, and possibly tell others about it; the crazed up old man was still out to kill him in Sasuke's body with bugs and bats; he had lost the ability to speak properly; the cave couldn't take much more bashing. They were all going to die, crushed in a cave-in!

"Yes, run! Run you little pest!" Naruto could see the orange gleam growing stronger, stones crumbling ever nearer. "Naruto? Naruto, get over here! We are getting out of this damn cave." Naruto ran to the fox's sharp voice. When he saw his body enveloped in that bubbling substance, forming into three tails, he nearly froze in fear of himself. Red eyes with black slits dividing the irises glared up. "Hurry up!" a stalactite fell mere inches behind Naruto, to reinforce the fox's urgency. The teen with eyes of midnight hurried to his well known friend, dodging stone stakes as he went. The cave was truly trying to kill the two boys. First, it tried to drown them, then crush them, then poison and eat them, now, it was back to crushing.

Kyuubi reached out a red hand, using chakra to send back the annoying cave dwellers. Naruto continued running, but the open arms seemed an eternity away. He could see that Kyuubi was close, so close. Then, it came with lightning speed, dropping directly above him; it came closer, but Naruto was sure he was faster. In slow motion, he could feel stone graze his shoulder blades as he leapt, hoping to get to the fox sooner. It pressed harder and harder into his back, until a finger touched a bubbling hand, and they were gone.

~sSs~

Naruto crawls on all fours gasping. That teleportation thing was awful. It was like being drowned, and crushed from all sides, then having all of the pressure released at one quick moment. He rolled moaning to his back. "Why didn't you do that hours ago? It would've spared us hours of wandering around in the dark." He glanced up to see the faintest sliver of a crescent moon hovering just above his pale face.

"Naruto!" Naruto quickly turned the see the Kyuubi with drooping eyes, the chakra surrounding his body dimming. He slumped his shoulders. "Your body is too weak for me to have very long, and I must go back, but don't…mention…" Then, the boy collapsed. He fell with almost a grace, stopping himself from hitting the cold ground full force. The moon's light wavered, as a cloud drifted past.

"Whoa, hey! Don't mention what?" he asked, but all that was left was an unconscious Sasuke. "Kuso, now what? Aw man…why'd you have to knock him out?" Naruto couldn't see much by the soft light the moon reflected from the sun, and slowly, drowsy from all that had occurred and from lack of food, drifted off next to his nemesis.

~sSs~

They awoke near the same time, or, rather, Naruto awoke because Sasuke shouted seconds after coming to. Sasuke, falling into Naruto's habit of yelling if anything startled him, aroused Naruto with a sudden short but loud scream. When Sasuke came to, his memories of the night before were…somewhat muddled, leaving him unaware of how they escaped, of where they now were. He saw Naruto's head inches from his own, almost looking dead, they way he seemed not even to breathe. "Ah!"

Naruto sat up quickly. Observing what he could in the darkness. Somehow, it was still late at night, or very early in the morning. "Huh, what, what? Sasuke you're awake. Good, I wondered when you'd come to." Naruto grinned.

Sasuke frowned. "What happened back there?"

Naruto's eye's widened for a split second, before he forced them to their normal size and answered briefly, "You were hit with a rock and passed out." He hoped that Sasuke didn't ask about the orange chakra, because that would lead to Kyuubi. And if it came to Kyuubi, Naruto feared he might let slip the reason of their switch. And if Kyuubi was discovered, Sasuke could tell someone, and that someone could spread rumors, which could lead to problems with the Hokage's law. So much could go wrong with the answer wit one single question.

"I'm not injured, so that didn't happen. I remember seeing those cave creatures, but after that, nothing. Besides, the man didn't throw rocks at us."

Actually, Naruto speculated, it is quite possible for him to have been hit by a stone on the head, because my injuries heal fast. "Then, you must've been bitten by something. Yeah, it was some weird bug bite. Definitely."

"The truth, Naruto. Something was controlling me, and I remember running back into the shadows, then an enormous power that wasn't mine, yours or the caveman's flooded the place. I don't remember anything after that. You know don't you? I can tell; I can see it in your eyes that you're lying."

Naruto bit his bit. He really desperately didn't want to say it. Sure, he'd broken laws before, but this one… "I'm not normal, Sasuke! You should know that much, right?" he suddenly exploded. "Have you absolutely no idea about what's so completely obvious? Adults practically announce it every damn time they call me a monster and demon!" Naruto knew he shouldn't tell Sasuke, but he felt like he just had to tell someone, even his worst enemy. He wanted so badly to keep it to himself, yet wanted not to be alone when keeping it. "Think about it! What was that one important thing that happened on October tenth, thirteen years ago, that isn't taught about in class? Any adult knows, and that's why they all hate me!" Except Iruka-sensei, Naruto added silently. He's the only one. I don't know what Old Man Hokage thinks, though. Maybe, to him, I'm something that he feels the need to protect, because I could be a good tool for the village, like shinobi are supposed to be.

"Why would the grownups hate you? What happened?" Sasuke asked, honestly not knowing the answer and wondering if he should fear the answer or be curious.

"…Kyuubi no Yoko attacked. That's why!" Sasuke remembered something about that conflict, but no one would tell him much when he asked about what had happened. Why was Naruto so loathed, because some demon attacked? It's not like it was the dobe's fault.

Sasuke's eyes showed true confusion. "It wasn't your fault it happened. That's no reason to hate you."

Naruto was angry that he was so slow in getting this simple notion. "I was born that day! I became the next vessel! I…why can't you understand? Are you that much a teme?" Sasuke looked at this angry version of himself, showing a hatred equal to what he felt towards Itachi.

"Naruto," he said. Why did he…?

Naruto was going mad. He had just told his ultimate secret to his worst loathed enemy, and all the blonde could say was 'Naruto.' he looked into the blonde eyes, and saw something stir behind the wide blue spheres. "Sorry, I exposed you. There's no reason to hide anymore, Kyuubi." Sasuke's eyes expanded further, when he heard the sinister sounding voice, and looked around for the source. "He's inside you, what's he saying? Is he angry at me?"

"N-no, it's…he's…saying a jutsu. He's—" Suddenly, the world went white with pain. The duo screamed as if their life depended on who could be louder. It, again, seemed an eternity to Naruto. Every element returned, the fire, the ice, the people that hated him most. Sasuke once again saw his brother tormenting his mind, and felt that cut on his shoulder bleed anew. And, after that perpetuity ended, they were, just as before, out cold.

~sSs~

When Naruto's eye's popped open, he gazed up at the clear sky above him. It was cloudless and cold. He gently lifted himself into a sitting position, almost expecting the pain to return, like an unhealed injury. It didn't. "Sasuke…" He turned and twisted his neck, in order to see around himself, but he could not see the Uchiha. He finally turned at a one hundred eighty degree angle, to see the shadow of tall form a few meters away, standing, behind a strange rock formation. "Sasuke! Where are we?" then, he realized something. It was horrible. "Oh no! What happened?"


	5. What They Can't Do

_Suzaki_, I'm better at making a suspenseful scene, than making something unexpected happen after the suspense, so sorry if this isn't as exciting as you wanted.

_Crystalzap_and _XxSasunaruloverxX_ I'm glad you think it's funny. I've never written humorous things before, but then again genres for this are Humor/Friendship.

Anyway, on to the next chapter!

~sSs~

When Naruto looked around, he saw nothing, and thought he was alone. "Sasuke! Where are we?" he didn't care to notice his voice, or the dark locks that fell before his eyes. But when he did, "Oh no! What happened?"

Sasuke made his way around the rock he was leaning against. The blonde glared down, as Naruto jumped to his feet. "What happened? What happened was nothing. Kuso, what the heck was your fox friend trying to do? Kill us both!"

Naruto shuffled under the gaze that made him feel so uncomfortable, I mean, seeing his own eyes practically attempting to burn him to ashes. "He, um, tried to switch us back but failed for a reason that I don't know…"

Sasuke growled. "So now what? He's a demon isn't he? Aren't the tailed beasts supposed to be unbelievably powerful? How could he fail?" Naruto sighed. He didn't understand. Kyuubi was the most powerful of the tailed beasts, so what went wrong?

"WHAT?" Sasuke suddenly shouted. Naruto guessed that Kyuubi, no longer needing to hide, was telling Sasuke something he either didn't like, or couldn't believe. "No way,"—he clenched his fists—"it's not true. You can't be serious!"

"What? What's wrong?"

He shook his head, an unbelieving expression of great surprise, with a shade of pissed hidden in the background. "We—we're stuck like this for two more months!" Naruto froze. The fox said what, now? "He has to wait for some constellation to pass, because its spirit interfered with the jutsu."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Eh, the spirit of a bunch of stars?"

"We're stuck like this for…TWO MONTHS!" Sasuke yelled once more.

How were they going to hide such a thing from their new sensei, Kakashi, as they discovered his name was a day or two ago? And…Sakura and they were supposed to meet the morning after they met the silver-haired ninja. They probably failed the first test, now. How far away were they from Konoha? Who noticed the pair's disappearance? So many questions…"This is bad, really bad…" Naruto whined. "How are we going to survive? You'll be destroyed by your own fan girls, and I'll be run to the point of exhaustion, trying to escape your fan girls, but we can't go in that cave anymore! And, what if Kakashi-sensei or Sakura figures out what happened? What if we get in trouble for you knowing about Kyuubi!"

"NARUTO, be quiet a minute and think," snapped a perturbed Sasuke. "I think we both agree it would be best that no one knows about this whole switch thing, but…" Sasuke's words slowed. "But…" A wave of nausea hit him, causing him to double over. One of Naruto's eyes was shut tight, the other squinting through the fingers he had pressed to his head, as if holding a headache. "What just—" then Sasuke blinked. He glanced up the see Naruto holding his stomach, and brought down a hand from his forehead that he didn't remember placing there.

Naruto, likewise, lifted his arms away from his stomach. "Whoa, we're back…Awesome!" Looks like Kyuubi was wrong!

"No, I wasn't," Kyuubi droned. "This is just the beginning of the next two months."

"But you said it would be to months we were stuck like that, and we're already normal. Your jutsu just responded late," Naruto said mentally, not out loud as Sasuke had.

Kyuubi shook a head, and Naruto felt the motion. "That's what he said, not me. I told him that I couldn't fix this for two more months. Before you ask, what just happened now is not the work of what I tried last night. That did nothing. It was chakra wasted to tug weakly on your souls, attempting to pull them into their rightful place. The spirits of Canes Venatici disrupted that jutsu from the very start."

Naruto scratched his head. "Eh? How come?"

Kyuubi explained. "Do you know what the Canes Venatici is? That is the constellation of the Hunting Dogs. They do whatever it takes to stop me from doing anything, from escaping my chains. They want me hidden and out of reach of any power that might help me up, out of their muddy grasp. I simply _can't_ do anything about it."

"But, you could do it before, couldn't you?" Naruto asked nonchalantly.

Another head shake. "I got to a certain point in the technique before they located me, and cut the jutsu. In other words, it's only half completed. Now, you'll actually switch more often, instead of just twice, if it would've been carried out properly."

Naruto thought a moment. "I have another question. Why did you sent us here, where ever _here_ is?"

Kyuubi said, "You're at the very edge of Wind Country. I hardly had time to think of where to go, so I just thought somewhere far from the cave. Even demons can make mistakes, all right? I'm not taking over anytime soon, though. Get angrier, and stronger, then I might be able to. But, for now, I choose living in here, not dying because your body can't handle my strength. Besides, I doubt the hounds would let me. Mangy mutts…" he cursed.

"Yeah, um…Sasuke?" Naruto began, turning towards the genin that was watching the blonde closely, as he spoke with the fox. "This is far from fixed. We won't stay like this forever, because Kyuubi says that we're going to change more often, and I don't think we're going to know when, until that headache we just got comes back. And we're at the edge of the desert of Wind Country…"

Sasuke, now back with his own mind, said with little emotion on his face, "Where? On the side closest to Konoha, or another direction?"

"I'm pretty sure it's Rain, right over there where the trees start…We should probably be going as quick as possible, before people start looking, and we get problems." Sasuke only nodded, they were off.

~sSs~

Neither teen wanted to stop, despite it being night, and neither cared if they had lost much of what little weaponry and equipment they had in the cave. They just wanted to be in Konoha as soon as possible, and hope they stayed themselves for a good long while. "Teme, hold up…"

"What is it? We're in a hurry."

"I…uh, gotta go…" Naruto grinned nervously. "I'll only be a second!"

"All right, quickly—" But then, his stomach lurched. A few moans later, and Sasuke was looking up at his nervous self. "And now…Kuso!" He put a hand on his stomach. Sure, right before Naruto was about to take a leak, they switch, and Sasuke's stuck with two embarrassing options. One, wet himself; two, find a bush and have to pull down Naruto's pants and do what the dobe didn't have to finish.

"Kuso…Kono yarou! Why'd you have to go now?" Sasuke swallowed. He could see Naruto laughing in a close distance. "KUSO, NARUTO, THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"

The black haired ninja held his stomach in mirth. "Yeah, it is, from my view! Hah!" Naruto snickered once more. "So, you gonna go in the bushes, or in front of me? I'd prefer if you had some dignity for me and when where there's a little priva—" But Sasuke was gone. "Hah, and you wanted me to hold it. How's it feel now?" Sasuke couldn't hear him, because he was far off, standing before a broad based tree.

"I _can't_ believe I have do this." He sighed, closed his eyes, and slid down the zipper.

~sSs~

"Kuso, let's just go!" Sasuke stormed forward from the brush. He was beyond pissed that he was forced through that, but he also didn't want Naruto's feces all over him. "Fuzaken na…" he quietly swore one last time. The two continued for what could've been just three minutes, when they felt the ache.

"Ah, again?" Naruto muttered. And they looked up at themselves.

"Great. Let's hurry to Konoha. Maybe, your fox will be wrong, and we won't have to deal with this as long as he says." Naruto nodded, though he doubted it.

~sSs~

It was the third day since that jutsu had been used, and Sasuke, as well as Naruto, wondered if they could really hold up the secret for fifty-eight more days. Naruto and Sasuke hadn't stopped all night, and hunger was getting to the both of them. But then again, they had missed how many meals, five or six? Naruto whined, "We gotta find some kind of food, or I'm gonna die!"

Sasuke slowed his pace. "All right, but what we don't know the Land of Rain or the plants that grow in it."

"Humph, I don't care! I'll find something!" He then proceeded to run off into the surrounding bushes. If they were going to stop, Sasuke decided to attempt to find something as well. He was sure he had heard a river a bit back…

With about twenty clones in the river, and another ten in the trees, Naruto was determined to find absolutely anything that could be eaten, cooked or not. Soon, fish were caught, and berries were picked, some safe, others not, but Naruto didn't know the difference.

Sasuke, upon finding the river, watched its cool depths for any fish to spear. He pulled out a kunai, and prepared to stab what came near at a decent size. It was good water to see through, the sand at the bottom fairly visible, but then it became murky. "What?" He looked upstream, and followed the current. His first guess was that it was Naruto's fault. The dobe was always getting in his way. He ran up along the river, seeing it become darker and darker. Soon, without a doubt, an orange coat and pair of pants could be viewed shoved messily against a tree. Blue sandal, a Leaf forehead protector, and a few ninja items had also been thrown in the mix. Sasuke counted with his eyes. Twenty partially naked Naruto clones were spread at random points in the river, so many limbs being the cause of murky water further down. "Dobe, you're making the water dirty with so many clones—" but they all disappeared, all twenty at once. "What the heck?" Sasuke shook his head. What was the dobe doing?

"Oi, oi, oi! Teme, look!" Naruto proudly held up what he could, along with several other clones behind him. Each had at least three struggling, silver fish, if not more.

"And you really think you can eat that many?"

Naruto's smile wavered for a moment, "No," but it returned as he explained, "Part are for you." Sasuke let out one, if quiet, laugh. He could easily feed a team of four ninja with that, and have some left over. "Besides, I have to let some go. I was just training. Catching fish with your hands is harder than with a kunai." Sasuke considered it. It could be true. A fish would definitely be harder to hold on to, while uninjured, in wet hands, as compared to a kunai, where it was staked to a tree, far from water, and probably dead. But, with a kunai, if the aim was an inch or two off, one would definitely miss, because there was no way to control it after it left the fingers, but with your hands in front of you, it was possible to change the directions of your hands before they missed the fish.

"I'll start a fire, then," he said, a smirk playing itself across his face. Naruto rushed to the river, putting back the ones he knew would survive, while giving a few others a quick death. Not an hour later, the pair was eating what must be their first real meal in two days. Naruto wasn't even sure what kind of fish it was, but it tasted good. At first, the steaming meat burned his fingers, but Naruto gobbled it up.

"Here, look! I found a whole bunch of these red berries, too! I don't know what they are, but they looked safe."

Sasuke declined the offer. "I'll pass on that. If you don't know what kind they are, I don't suggest you eat them either." Naruto frowned, and let out a sigh.

"All right, I won't eat them for your sake…" He tentatively crossed his arms.

Sasuke really didn't want him sick, not until two months had gone by. Fifty eight days was a long way off…Anyway, Konoha was only two more days away. If they were going to have to pretend to be each other convincingly, Naruto would have to get better at math, Sasuke would have to learn the difference between being late and early, and they both definitely had to learn to eat what they hated, while not screaming on the inside, because the spirit's feeling is always visible in the eyes, no matter what someone's body language says.


	6. The Torture

I suppose you could call this filler, a chapter meant for pure amusement, while not really playing a major role in the rest of the story. I'm just trying to keep you all laughing, because this is, after all, a humorous story. Remember, they're in their normal bodies at this point. For some reason, I find Naruto forcing Sasuke to act out of character funny. Any of you readers think it's too OOC? …Or too short? I just needed to put something up.

~sSs~

The two had slowed to a walk, regaining strength, but not ceasing in their movement. "Oi, teme," Naruto began, poking the teen in the side. In exaggerated measures, Naruto would say that Sasuke had just jumped ten feet in the air. Naruto froze. What the heck just happened?

Acting as if nothing had occurred, Sasuke asked stoically, "What?"

Naruto switched his question, and instead of asking if he wanted to waste some time sparring, because he really wanted to fight, or do something more interesting than walking, asked the Uchiha, "Are you ticklish?"

Sasuke harrumphed. "No. What would ever give you that idea?" He turned his gaze away from Naruto, his first mistake. He tightened his muscles as he walked, his second mistake.

"Oh, right, so this doesn't bother you at all?" Naruto smirked and poked the soft spot below Sasuke's ribcage once more. Though not enough to be seen with his eyes, Naruto felt the flinch. In a second, Naruto had snapped his hand down to the boy's wrist and pulled him back, tackling him to the ground with the blonde on top. "Hah, you are." Sasuke struggled with the hand holding his wrists together, but not for long. The horrible sensation called tickle sapped him of his shinobi strength, while Naruto kept his. Naruto roughly wriggled his hands over his stomach and sides.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. Through clenched teeth, he growled, "Get of off me, dobe. Quit!" But Naruto wasn't stopping. His sharp nails reached under the dark shirt, prodding the squirming ninja's stomach. "No, get off! Stop it!" And finally, the first laughs escaped. "H-hey quit…" Sasuke kicked his feet, hoping to either get the blonde in the head, or be strong enough to lift him without using his arms. It wasn't working, as the tickling weakened his limbs. Naruto thought it quite humorous to see the last Uchiha struggling for just a bit of tickling.

And then, the tables turned. Naruto was having too much fun tormenting his worst enemy to notice the small turn his stomach took. Seconds later, Naruto found himself in a very strange position, his arms pinned up by Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't tickling, and Naruto wasn't laughing, but it was coming. One word left the blonde's mouth. "Payback."

Naruto hoped, for the first time ever in his life, that Sasuke's body was stronger than his own, but it didn't matter once the tickling began. Unlike Sasuke, who had been trying to hide his laughs, Naruto came out with full gales of deep Uchiha cackles. "No, wait, Sasuke, WAIT!" Naruto nearly literally screamed when the digits stroked his exposed neck, between his shoulders and chin. He was no longer laughing, but practically crying, as if in pain. "No—come on, stop!" Sasuke wasn't showing signs of a break in his assault. "Kono yarou!" Naruto shrieked, which was unusual in a few ways. For one thing, Uchiha Sasuke would never 'shriek.' Or another, he'd much less do it while laughing his guts out. Naruto's face was getting redder by the second. Sasuke never blushed.

"You asked for it." Naruto struggled under the horrible tickling and this particular torture drained him of his strength. He couldn't fight back, not well. "I'm surprised your midget body can hold mine down so well."

Naruto tried to growl and frown through his laughter, as a hand returned to his ribcage. "Stupid teme! I'm NOT A MIDGET!" But he couldn't manage much more. He was at a loss of speaking ability. "Hah—quit!" he breathed, and Sasuke even knew to stop. What good would it do to make his own body pass out from being tickled? It would look like a short blondie had just knocked out the last Uchiha. Not an option. It didn't matter if no one was watching, because it wasn't an option. He stood, and Naruto followed, if still with his hands grasping his knees.

Naruto panted, "Bastard…"

"You did it first."

"Yeah, but I was…it was your own body, so you knew where you were ticklish!" He paused. And stared at Sasuke for a few uncomfortable moments. "And…and why are you ticklish? You aren't supposed to be ticklish!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why not, exactly?"

Naruto was slowly regaining his breath. "Because…because…you're you! My rival isn't supposed to be ticklish." Sasuke folded his arms, standing with a signature frown. "Whatever's going through the minds of all your fan girls and stuff isn't about you being tickled! I have to beat someone totally not weak to ticklishness."

"You are."

Naruto's fists met his waist, as he said, "Yeah, so?"

"Let's just agree never to mention this again, once when we get back."

Naruto nodded seriously. "Agreed."


	7. You Care

Did I take long enough? Sorry, fight scenes are never easy for me, and I eventually just deleted it. Plus, I had an audition, so the last week was spent on over preparing. Hopefully, I made it into the Wisconsin State Honor Orchestra. I'll know in April…such a long wait.

~sSs~

The previous day passed, luckily, without hassle. They discovered by word of Kyuubi that because the jutsu was intended to let someone live another's life, taking their point of view and feelings to mind, it differed from just the common henge. Unfortunately, because of the _interference_, it was slowly turning into just that, with the only difference being that they couldn't control when they switched. Naruto could hold the henge of Sasuke for a time, but it now was a risk to use it, seeing as the switch would disrupt the flow of their chakra and stop it anyway.

If the two happened to be a fair distance from each other, and swapped bodies at an untimely place or in such a terrible situation, they would have no idea what the other was doing. So, they, for the next two months, wouldn't let the other out of his sight, for anxiety over the humiliations they might endure because of an inconvenient switch.

Naruto was reluctant to show Sasuke his Kage Bunshin technique, and Sasuke no different with his Katon, but they discovered, even though the damn half jutsu wouldn't quite completely fade away, that the longer it lasted, the less control the original mind would have, and before the first month ended, they wouldn't have the impulses they did before. They would have to act everything out on their own. They had both pushed that abnormal morning brawl far out their mind, and, after hours of practice, had ended up holding the other's shoulders to keep standing.

"Nnn…" Naruto began to awake from a slumber he didn't remember falling into. He burrowed into the source of heat that was close. What was that? He opened a shady eye and found a very 'up close and personal' view of bright blonde, spiked hair. "Ack!" He tried backing up, but only succeeded in throwing his head against the rough trunk of a tree. "Ow, ow, ow…" He rubbed his charcoal-colored head, feeling a lump forming. "How'd that happen?"

Sasuke pushed himself off the ground, obviously awake, and about to yell whatever curses he could at Naruto for sleeping on him. But, when he turned his head, Naruto saw the smile. Not a smirk, or an evil get-ready-to-get-your-butt-kicked grin, but a 'Sasuke in Naruto's body' smile. Is this also what _I_ look like in _his_ body? It's even scarier than his broody self…No, I'm just imagining that it looks scary because it's Sasuke. "Morning, Sasuke."

That did it. The mock Sasuke didn't yell. It didn't call Naruto a dobe. It actually called him 'Sasuke.' It didn't frown. It didn't growl. It said 'morning' when Sasuke never had. Whoever tried impersonating him did absolutely no research…unless they were trying to impersonate him, not Sasuke! "Ahhh! You're not Sasuke!" Naruto's first reaction upon this outburst was to whip out a kunai from the earlier day's practice and stab…a log. "I knew it! What happened to Sasuke-teme?" Naruto, though knowing it pointless, searched about frantically in all directions. Where the heck is he? He can't just go abandoning me in the middle of Amegakure!

~sSs~

"Hmm, my jutsu was broken. I guess he figured it out quick. What went wrong, I wonder?" said a man in gray ninja attire to his captive. "Ah well. He won't find me before I take care of this pathetic demon." Sasuke glared daggers at his captor, unable to stop what ever they would do, because he was tied up by his hands behind his back. With every movement he made, the strands tightened, and they were cutting slowly into his skin. "It'll all be over soon. I just want a little revenge, my little monster." But, Sasuke had time in this form only to be held up forcibly, before his stomach churned.

~sSs~

Naruto rubbed his head with a slight headache, and he felt himself being held up by the collar of his shirt. "Now, for the first strike…" But Naruto wasn't going to feel it. With a bit of leverage on the tree that the bandit shouldn't have let him have, he applied chakra to the bases of his feet and pushed with enough force to head butt the man a goodly sum of meters away.

"Yo, Kyuubi, help me out, here! Or wait, why didn't you just get Sasuke out of here?"

Kyuubi shrugged. "He isn't quite compatible, I guess. But, I don't know if you have enough anger yet." Naruto felt a hate filled strike to his jaw from the ninja that he had head butted just moments before. "And now, perhaps you're getting close."

Naruto growled at the man. What was up with these guys? He thought only Leaf villagers hated him, but that notion was proven wrong. "Hurry up, Kyuubi…"

The man laughed and sneered, "Not so strong in that pathetic form, are you, fox? Hah, I'd like to see you try to kill me, now! I survived before, and I'll do it again!"

Naruto just grinned, as he felt his teeth and nails grow. "Ossu, are you sure?" His vision was obscured by dark orange, and he soon had that feeling of watching himself. He no longer had control, and could only see what his body did, moments before he was enveloped in black. It was always a strange sense of being, whether it be Kyuubi controlling him, or those few moments where he and Sasuke seemed to be in the same body at one time, just before a switch. But…that feeling didn't last as long as he expected. It disappeared, actually. Naruto had dropped to the ground, free of the rough ropes, only to lose all contact with the fox's power.

"As if I'd come unprepared. No way are we letting you use your vile jutsu against us!" the old ninja chuckled. "I wonder though, how a brat like you managed to find me. I left just days ago." He sighed and quietly snickered once more, turning suddenly dark. "But if your mission was to take me back by force, consider it done. I'll not belong to a village that fights with the likes of you, demon!"

Naruto tried to remember who the guy was. He didn't remember doing anything mean to the old man. As he wracked his brain, he remembered one thing though. That smell. Every person had a particular smell, and Naruto remembered it seconds before he fell asleep, and a pain crept its way into those memories. He'd been chopped at the base of his neck, meaning they had captured Sasuke mere hours ago, only to be switched moments before their rain of pain came down on the blonde's body. "I'm not a demon."

He and his accomplices sneered with an equally foul air. "Don't play dumb, foxy. I saw you attempt to use the power of the tailed beast just moments ago." Don't listen, thought Naruto angrily. He thinks Kyuubi is evil, and he's not! Kyuubi is my friend, even nicer than the villagers. But, where did he go? "You will pay the ultimate price for your crimes—"

Naruto hardened his stare. "Death?" He received a hard glare. "Death isn't so high a price to me. As long as I've left something important, and I died an honorable death for the village's sake, I won't feel like I'm sacrificing so much." He wanted to be Hokage, and he didn't really plan on dying anytime soon, though.

"Death is what you owe us."

"I will fight to it, then," Naruto said, forming a seal. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

…Nothing happened. He repeated the jutsu, and once again.

"The hell—" but that was just a long enough distraction for the ninja to whisk quick as Bushybrows around and chop his neck again. He had been knocked out a second time within a day, in the same fashion. The geezer could have at least fought him fairly, but he knew he would've been beaten sorely, once the Kyuubi awoke.

"Finally. No more distractions, just kill him now. The village owes us for what the fox did; it doesn't deserve to live so peacefully and protected by Konoha's walls," he said to himself, reassuring himself that he was destroying a demon that deserved death. Not an innocent genin.

A snap sent the old ninja's heads up. Sasuke stepped up from behind a close maple. "Hey, I'm your opponent."

The aging chunin turned his body fully. "Hmm, the young Uchiha Sasuke? Ah yes, you're the survivor from back when Itachi—" Sasuke didn't want to hear of his brother, and whisked a gleaming kunai at his throat. It missed as the man dodged quickly, lodging itself in a near oak. "Hmm, have I struck a nerve?" He chuckled as Sasuke tried to recompose himself. It wouldn't do to lose his cool in the face of battle. He leapt forward, standing beside Naruto.

"Katon," he began, whipping through seals, "Gokakyu no Jutsu!" A great ball of pulsing inferno erupted inches before his mouth as he blew, driving back the man who was too close to escape.

"Why are you, fighting me? Shouldn't you be helping me destroy that monster? The fox boy will die!" he yelled out from his hot prison. When the flames died down, he was battered and smoke rose softly from his clothes.

Sasuke was miffed. He wanted to kill the dobe for that? It was in the past, and Naruto hadn't done much to deserve death. He was just a moron who played pranks. "He, Naruto," he glanced down at the fallen form, a bruise forming on the whiskered cheek, "won't die anytime soon." Sasuke smirked knowing how true that was. If he survived the last twelve years as a regular child, he wouldn't be murdered as a ninja by the same people. "He's too stubborn."

"I will have revenge! He murdered my father and son!" Sasuke wasn't in Naruto's body, but, looking at the man's outward appearance, wanted to say, 'Wasn't your father already dead?' "I was out on another mission, when I received the news! By the time I came back, everything was in ruins!" Sasuke watched the man's hate grow; it was seething hotly beneath the surface of his cold brown eyes. "For destroying my family, for tearing us apart without giving me a chance to protect them…"—he wiped away his grief, replacing it with heated rage—"I will kill him! And you can't stand in my way! The demon will perish!"

Sasuke lifted Naruto by the waist and jumped back several times, keeping his distance from the revenge driven man. He snatched up another kunai from his pouch, defecting every shuriken that came his way. He…wants revenge, because supposedly Naruto killed part of his family? He doesn't know anything about wanting real revenge. Two deaths in battle versus near an entire clan by night? Heh, and he thinks he's an avenger.

Sasuke laid Naruto at his feet, returning his gaze to the attacker. "What murdering demon? All I see is a clumsy dobe."

~sSs~

Where could they be? Sakura wondered. What's happened to my Sasuke-kun? This is the third day since we were put into teams. Is he avoiding me? Sakura cried at the thought, hugging her knees beneath the cherry blossom tree. Soft pink petals rained gracefully down about her, and any other day, she would gaze and marvel at such perfection; but nothing could be perfect without Sasuke-kun. Neither of her teammates had been seen in three straight days, not that she was worried much for the annoying blonde. I was the only one to show up and meet Kakashi-sensei. What should I do?

~sSs~

Naruto had watched the pounding Sasuke served with slightly wide eyes, his body slowly regaining the ability to move. When he could stand, Sasuke was striding with that cool tone of his, finally reaching a hand out to the fallen dobe. "Aw, teme, you do care!" Naruto exclaimed as he grasped the usually poisonous hand.

Sasuke pulled back the second Naruto reached his feet and harrumphed, "No. I just don't want you dead until the switching thing is sorted out."

Naruto pouted a moment, then grinned a sly, toothy smile, squinting at the Uchiha, as if he knew what no one else did. Resting a knowing hand on the blue clad shoulder, Naruto said, "…You care."


	8. Return

Yes! I can finally post chapters again! Everytime I tried before, the page just said Error type 2 or something... Annoying.

Yeah, we're getting closer to Konoha. Just half a day away. Let's see what's happened…

Day 1: switch and lost in the cave; get chased by a lunatic

Day 2: escape lunatic; wake up on Amegakure border

Day 3: walking, whizzing, and eating fish; declining the red berries

Day 4: tickle fight and training; Sasuke is kidnapped, and Naruto is saved

Day 5: today, return home!

Onward with the show!

~sSs~

"Finally! We're just half a day away!" Naruto, who was now in Sasuke's form once more, sighed. "How're we gonna explain where we were the last four days?"

Sasuke slumped slightly; he had been thinking on that as well. They were never going to be able to avoid the question, and whatever the answer was, they had to have the same story. It wouldn't do for Naruto to be talking about getting lost after chasing bandits around, and Sasuke to explain the events of having to save Naruto from kidnappers or such. What would be the plan? How could they lie about something like this and make their cover foolproof? Sasuke wanted a simple plan, one that he was sure the dobe could remember. Naruto chattered on, "Let's say some weirdo wanted your eyes, and I had tuh save you, all right?" What? No. Way. Sasuke wasn't going to say that.

"No. A rogue was after your pet fox. _I_ had to save _you_."

Naruto crossed his arms stubbornly. Both refused to admit needing help from the other. "No, no, people can't know about Kyuubi. How about…hmm…" Naruto pursed his lips. "You saw me fighting some guys, and, since you're the teme you are, you had to be a show off, and we ended up… somehow… leaving Konoha? That's gonna be the worst part… Missions only take so long to do, right? We gotta think of something that lasts long enough."

Sasuke paused in his steps, causing Naruto to stop and turn, too. "Say, Naruto, what exactly do you know about…my Sharingan."

Naruto cocked his head to the side ,arms still cradling the back of his neck. "Eh, not much. Kyuubi told be about Madara, though, and a bit about his Sharingan. I know there are, like, different levels and stuff, but not a lot… Why'd you ask me? I'm not the Uchiha here… um, not usually. Now I am, but you know what I mean, and, aw man, I'm rambling again… But, besides that, why really do you ask me? I mean, I wasn't raised by the Uchiha; you were. Don't you know all about that stuff?" Sasuke merely shrugged. It wasn't important, not very.

"It was a simple question. But we still need to come up with a good excuse that you won't forget."

Naruto narrowed pitch eyes at the blonde. "What? I can remember things! I bet I'll even think of a better excuse than you!" And that was the end of that. The two continued walking in silence for perhaps four minutes before Naruto burst. "Ah, the silence sucks! We gotta talk or something! This is so _boring_!"

Sasuke sighed. So much for the peace and quiet. "And did that thing called a brain think of any ideas? Not that I expect much from you…" Yeah, that did it.

"WHAT? I did so think of stuff…just not…um…" Sasuke mentally nodded. He was probably thinking about getting his ramen at Ichiraku's, nothing important to help their current predicament. "So, since _you're_ supposed to be the _genius_ here, why don't you think of a decent excuse."

"Fine. How about we say that there was…no, there's a loophole. What about…hmm." Sasuke thought a moment, and finally settle on one simple action that would at least somewhat spare his reputation. "We were both separately ambushed, and neither of us had anything to do with each other while being captured, but had to work together to escape. We, being on the same genin team and all, decided to use this as a lesson for…teamwork." They were, in a sense, learning quite good teamwork, whether or not they would admit it. Being in someone else's body, feeling their thoughts and emotions, it helped in understanding quite a bit. By now, without their knowledge, they had learned more about each other in the last few days than most genin would know for years, or ever.

"Teamwork? It's not a terrible idea, but you and teamwork together?" Naruto shook his head. The look of innocent rejection just didn't fit the Naruto's present body. "Anything else, prodigy?"

"It'll work. Even you can't mess it up, right?" Sasuke smirked, his blue eyes dark under blonde brows. And then, _another_ switch. They had learned to ignore the small ache, so that the change would be basically unnoticeable to anyone other than the Jinchuuriki and chosen link. "We'll say that…"— he tilted his head back in a very Naruto-like fashion, elbows up, despite being back in his regular body— "we defeated the captors, and escaped, but they had taken us into unknown territory, so we won't have to explain our exact whereabouts… And the reason we took so long in returning was because there were no villages around for instruction… This is simple, but should be sufficient enough," Sasuke reasoned. "I only said this was a lesson for teamwork, because we probably would've gone our separate ways otherwise."

Naruto nodded at that. Most villagers, and probably all the genin from the academy, thought that those two would be the first to abandon the other. I mean, why would the _prodigy Uchiha _stick around with a _dead last demon_? "I guess you're right. So, we were both captured separately, but by the same group, and we had to escape together, then come back. But what if they ask us about the kidnappers? Since we're ninja, they will be, but what if they ask, like, how we defeated them… Or how many?"

"It was a common unit of one jounin and three genin, but they had no forehead protectors, or had them hidden. And it was simple two on one. Okay? We didn't find out why they took us because they fled, after seeing us fight," he paused. "But if we beat them while fighting, I suppose they were only able to take us from Konoha in the first place by using sleeping gas…or something like that."

Happy that they had an not-so-extraordinary excuse, they continued on their way home. The sun was just reaching its noon high, almost directly above their heads. Then, Sasuke heard something. He kept walking, not wanting to give away the fact that he knew someone was watching them. "Naruto," he whispered, just loud enough for the blonde to hear. Naruto understood. He had heard it as well. This wasn't one person, but another team, a unit. Well, if they defeated a team in their excuse, they could defeat a team in real time, right?

Both appeared not to notice anything, but the jounin in charge knew better. There was no reason to hide; the targets were found.

~sSs~

Asuma didn't need to tell his team to stop hiding. Ino was first to jump out at the two. He wondered how he had found them so soon and close to Konoha. "_Sasuke-kuuun_!" Strangely, both Sasuke and Naruto jumped back. They landed side by side.

Naruto blinked. Oh yeah, he didn't have anything to fear, now. He had just switched a few minutes ago. Sasuke glanced at the dobe who just grinned and whispered, "Ah, I'm ready to dodge your fan girls, at least." Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun!" Ino chimed. "We found you! Let's go back home, okay?"

Naruto, unlike Ino expected, didn't react with hyper shouting of 'Yeah, ttebayo! Let's go!' He hardly moved. Then he and Sasuke began, "We were already— hey stop talking when— quit copying me!" Well, that wasn't quite what they thought would happen. Sure, they might have a few small trademarks, but _really_? Sasuke clamped a hand over Naruto's mouth and finished, "We were already on our way home, and we don't need help getting there. Come on, dobe."

"Wha…hey, don't call me dobe, teme!" He didn't think Sasuke was going to keep calling him that when they got back, or at least this close. The raven was already bounding over branches, Naruto following swiftly behind, catching up quick.

Shikamaru stood bored, muttering a "Mendokusei…" Chouji munched happily on his chips, seeming not to notice the strange behavior of Naruto and Sasuke. However, Ino…

"What? Sasuke-kun just— how could— Naruto!" What she saw was definitely different than what actually happened. What happened was that Sasuke had to silence Naruto, so he covered the blonde's ever-talking mouth, but Ino…with her imagination, who knows? (A/N: Yamanaka Ino= possible yaoi fan)

~sSs~

"Teme, you freaked her out," Naruto said plainly, never looking back.

"So?" Naruto shrugged it off. If teme didn't care, it couldn't be so bad, right? Wait, what was he thinking? Teme didn't care about anything, right? Ah man, why was he even thinking about what Sasuke thought? "We're close. Just don't forget our plan." Naruto nodded. No way was the truth about this coming out. Slowly, or maybe not so slowly, Ino and the others caught up. Mainly Ino.

"Sasuke-kun, come back! Let's go to— "

"No." Sasuke wasn't in the mood to deal with fan girls, heck, he never was. They were the most annoying species of female out there. Now, ones like Tenten weren't so bad, since she actually focused on her training, but some just didn't know when to leave him alone! "You're annoying." Naruto sighed. That was Sasuke's answer to everyone except teachers, wasn't it?

That also put out some of Ino's enthusiasm to be on the team that found Sasuke-kun, but not all of it. She could still brag to Sakura about it. "Why are you always so mean, teme? She's just happy to see you," Naruto muttered. For some reason, he was talking much _lower_, much _darker_, much more like Uchiha _Sasuke_. Sasuke didn't respond, and the two boys continued on ahead, just slightly further than Ino, whose team had caught up with her. Asuma had kept back with Chouji and Shikamaru, making sure they weren't left behind. "We're almost there. Hope Kakashi-sensei doesn't figure out what happened."

~sSs~

"Look, teme!" During the hours that it took to arrive at Konoha, they had one more switch. Naruto, realizing this too late, corrected himself. "Ano, dobe." Yeah, that would be the only part he'd have a problem with. He'd gotten so used to calling Sasuke a bastard that he now did it out of habit. When in the Uchiha's body, he had to remember 'dobe.' That was the worst. Naruto mentally sighed, I trained for hours on end with his techniques, and I learned how to copy his weird growls and hn's. How is it that I can't remember the simple 'dobe' part? I have to remember!

"We better hope our practice pays off when comes the time," Sasuke sighed. Naruto was actually beginning to believe he was right, those few days ago, when he told teme, 'As long as you keep being the clown, I'll be a dark, brooding, want-people-to-quit-bugging-me person. See? You're easier than me, dobe.' Sasuke probably had it worse, in this case. But, at least they would still have the original mind guiding them for a few weeks of the two months to come. "Just don't mess up, teme." Naruto forced himself not to pout in the Uchiha's form. So far, Sasuke hadn't made the 'teme or dobe' mix-up, and he'd been quick to pick up on the Kage Bunshin. However, it could still only be performed in Naruto's body. Sasuke didn't have enough chakra to use that technique safely.

Naruto huffed, "Look, dobe. You gotta stop doing that!" He mentally congratulated himself for remembering that Sasuke was _dobe_, not _teme_.

"Doing…?"

"Quit acting all formal! Loosen up a bit. I wouldn't go around saying 'We better hope our practice pays off when comes the time,' I'd say something more like 'Hope that training paid off,' or something less… Uchiha-like. Talk more like— "

"You just stop talking. Be quiet, and I'll be louder… ttebayo." Naruto sighed. That teme had waited off too long when adding the 'ttebayo.' Naruto neared the blonde. "What— ? Get off!"

Naruto had both pale hands on either side of Sasuke's face, forcing his cheeks into a grin. "Smile, teme! You can't be me if you can't simply smile!"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's wrists, and pulled them away from his face. "Quit it! I wouldn't do that. If you're going to be me, then you can't be so… like that. For instance," he said, with a slight smirk, "I wouldn't go anywhere near you, least of all touch you, and try to force you to smile, if anything punch you. I'd be going to the Hokage Tower to explain our whereabouts, and directly to the training grounds. I wouldn't be standing around forcing the teammate that I supposedly despise to smile."

"Fine, fine!" Naruto backed away a few feet. "But rant more, at least. That was pretty close, but you still gotta talk longer." Sasuke sighed. He tried dragging out his explanation, and he still had to be longer? Jeez, the dobe really didn't know when to stop. "Anyway, let's go… dobe." Yes! Naruto mentally cheered. I can so get away with this for two months; piece of cake. Behind them, Asuma and his genin neared. "Hn." Yeah, Naruto totally had the bastard's act down. He walked a short distance into the gates, Sasuke falling quickly in even step, not behind. They jumped to the nearest roof, and made their way to the Hokage's Tower. Hopefully, their loose excuse would be of use.

~sSs~

They both stood outside the large doors, and Naruto sighed. "Make sure to interrupt me on time." Sasuke rolled his eyes. Apparently, the dobe _did_ know just how annoying he was; he _was_ aware of the trouble he caused others; he _knew_ when he irritated people. He just didn't try to change.

Sasuke took a breath and rammed himself through the entry with a loud crash. "Hey, we're back, old man!" There was no notion on the outside that he was troubled by what he'd done, but Sasuke mentally winced at referring to the Hokage as such. "Guess what happened to us; guess!"

Now, it was Naruto's turn. "Quiet, t- dobe! We were captured by a group of ninjas. It seems they were after the Sharingan. But," he assured the Hokage, "I see no reason for them to want to take Naruto, as well. There were only four, a jounin and— "

"We totally kicked their butts!" Sasuke paused for a breath before his practiced rant. "It was all, like, the teme shooting fireballs, and me using clones, and they were so freaked out, and they tried running, but we didn't let them get away! They were a regular team, like, with a jounin for a sensei, and some genin, and they went down so easy! They were, like, begging forgiveness, since they didn't capture us fairly with a fight! They used sleeping gas, and they were totally weak! And you know what else? I'm sure that— "

That was good enough. Naruto mused at how angry Sasuke was at having to be so… expressive. Well, he had to do it sometime. Naruto stood and covered the blonde's mouth from behind, telling him that his role was over, but Sasuke continued to falsely struggle, as he was supposed to. "We defeated them, and tied them up. In theory, if we took down the three genin first, we could be even in strength with a jounin. Anyway, if you've your answers, we'll be leaving. Come on, dobe." Naruto released Sasuke, and he walked out calmly. This was Sasuke's cue to follow yelling, so he did.

"Hey, teme! I wasn't done talking! Are you listening? Oi! Teme!" He ran out of the office to catch up as he yelled, while the Hokage just blinked at the display. When he was within whispering distance, Sasuke asked seriously, "You didn't finish the explanation. Why?" Naruto mumbled. "What?"

"I forgot the rest of my lines, all right!" he snapped quietly. "So, I cut it short, hoping he got enough information… but you did okay. Try making the entrance more flashy, though, next time, okay?" When Sasuke blinked, Naruto just droned, "I was being sarcastic, jeez. Do you have any sense of humor?"

"Sasuke-_kuuun_!" Naruto sighed. Again? "Sasuke-kun, why'd you go without me? I wanted to hear what happened while you were gone!" Sasuke demanded that he not roll Naruto's eyes. She just needed something to gossip about. "Sasuke-kun," she said, as she reached for a hug. Naruto backed away, influenced both by Sasuke's mind, and his own will. Seriously, fan girls were the scariest things in the world. He was starting to understand why Sasuke didn't like them. No wait, he found out one the very first day that he was switched into the teme's body.

"Hn." Naruto turned away. "I'm going to train."

"Oi! Wait up, teme!"

~sSs~

So yeah. Long wait, sorry. Review if you like.


	9. Caught

Aw jeez, what's it been? Over a month, at least. Sorry to those waiting, but I've got a few other priorities to take care of before writing, and I'll get these chapters out whenever I can. Anyway, here's the next installment of _Not So Different_!

~sSs~

Naruto sighed as he neared the training grounds. That was close; Ino almost caught them, but the two managed to escape the evil fangirl's grasp. Sasuke and he waited a minute or two, checking to make sure that not a soul was within hearing distance, before finally releasing their breath. "Wow. That's just creepy… I still can't figure out how you deal with that." Sasuke shrugged.

"I manage."

"So… Do I really gotta train, now? Why can't I just wait until I'm, y'know, in my own body. It's not like if I don't you're gonna get worse, or something." When Sasuke didn't answer, Naruto sighed. "Fine, sure. But you might as well train me, as well, then." Naruto took off to the other side of the ground, hands already shifting through Sasuke's kunai pouch. Sasuke watched to make certain that he was actually training, before turning to his own target, preparing to aim, with four blades in each hand… "Hey, Naruto-kun!" Sasuke nearly stumbled by the sheer pitch of it. What the heck was that?

Naruto had his own fangirl, now? And then he saw the blonde. Oh great, Ino. Well, he couldn't just send her away, like usual, so what did Naruto do when stuff like this happened? …Did this _ever_ happen? "Aw, so mean, Naruto-kun. Aren't cha even gonna say hi?"

Sasuke blinked. Right. "Hi, Ino. Uh, what do you want?"

She neared him, leaning closer, and Sasuke had to remember that she wasn't going to attack like she might, were he in his normal body. "Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering… what really happened while you were with Sasuke-kun? Where'd you go with him, hmm?" Sasuke really hated being so close… She needed to back up about ten feet! "Come on, Sasuke-kun wouldn't tell me before, and you just ran off behind him. I wanna know!" Sasuke's mind was still thinking rapidly. What now? Do I start rambling non sense, or do I tell go on with the lie we told… Hokage-sama. Kuso, if I don't and word gets back, he'll know we lied, if he doesn't already. So, perhaps it'd be best to change the subject… Ramen? Naruto probably talks about it a lot. Great. Naruto's making me start to ramble in my mind, like him. Anyway, who do I — "Naruto-kun! Ya there?" Ino tapped his head lightly. His forehead.

"Fine, Ino! I'm fine, so quit poking me. Sasuke… um, yeah. We went and — er, there was this place, and — We ate ramen! Okay, yeah? So… that's what happened. I forced him to eat ramen, and… er, nothing important happened." This was so not going to plan. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke couldn't think of a new ramble on the spot. Heck, he didn't even hear half of the words that were coming past his lips. "And there were guys there, at the stand, and… um… we got into a fight… Yes. There was a fight, we won, no need to hear anything else. Bye, Ino!" Then, he jumped up into the trees, masking his chakra best he could. What did I just say? Sasuke really didn't know. Whatever it was, he hoped in was something like Naruto… something slightly similar. Perhaps Naruto was right; he couldn't just be loud. He had to learn how to be the perfect idiot, not that Naruto used those words, but close enough. Oh well. The only good thing that came of that was the fact that Naruto's face naturally smiled and didn't blush as he stammered.

Sasuke watched her run around looking for him, until she finally turned to Naruto. He was her next target if he wasn't cooperative, apparently. He kept her within seeing distance, and listened in on her and Naruto. "Are you ready to tell me now, Sasuke-kun? Why'd you run away?"

Naruto turned away from her, aiming at his target again. "Hn."

"You don't have to be shy, Sasuke-kun! Come on, tell me!" Ino's face was lit up like a light bulb.

Naruto only said one word. "Annoying." Sasuke seriously needed to work on his acting skills. Really. Ino stood standing as if she hadn't heard, but Sasuke could even pick up the single term hovering in the breeze. Ino's questions continued, but Naruto finally stopped and collected his kunai, all stuck neatly in a perfect row up the poor log target. He never looked her in the eye, ignoring her presence in everyway. But then, she just went right up and stood directly in Naruto's path, grasped both arms, and threw the two of them to the ground. Naruto, not expecting to be touched only followed, was bewildered to say the least.

"Tell me what happened! Acknowledge me for once, Sasuke-kun!" And then, she realized her position. Straddling who she thought was Sasuke around the waist, arms lightly pinning his to the ground. Sure, he had the strength to get up and leave, but he didn't. Sasuke cursed Naruto lightly, but still waited to see what the dobe would do.

"Why are you so interested in this? What happened outside Konoha isn't really your concern." He made to leave, and Ino did the only thing her fangirl mind could think of: kiss your obsession now, before you never get the chance again. Sasuke stared. Naruto froze.

Ino didn't move away until Naruto quite forcefully shoved her off. She just — "Ino, you — " Naruto, for once, wasn't acting his loss of words. Naruto's forearm covered his mouth, wiping away her taste and smell. That was… Naruto had never seen Sasuke's fangirls do that! He was scarred for life! Now, he was reconsidering becoming more popular and awesome than Sasuke. Er, wait, no. He wasn't awesome! Naruto was already more awesome than Sasuke, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to be popular among females.

"Sasuke-kun, I love — "

"No, you don't," Naruto grit. He was seriously angered at this. "You're obsessed, not in love. Don't even pretend." He started to retreat, walk out of the training field, but was caught around the arm. She just doesn't give up, Naruto screamed in his mind. "Let go."

She only held closer. "I can't…" Naruto tugged away. Leaving the girl who officially had her first kiss to mope and cheer, but then mope once more. She was left to her thoughts, and, just this once, she didn't follow, and Naruto was glad for it.

Sasuke sighed. So much for training; they'd thrown a few kunai for what, ten minutes? "You… did that ever happen before?" Naruto asked once he spotted his orange clad friend, landing in the tree beside him. "Do a lot of girls just pop out of no where, pin you and kiss you? It would've been nice to know about if this is normal!"

But it wasn't. "That's never happened, before. I wouldn't let them get so close in the first place."

"But she was just tagging along beside me! I didn't know she was gonna do that!" Naruto grumbled a bit about it, finally deciding on something. "You know what? I need ramen. Come on, let's go to Ichiraku's!"

"Wha — No! No, you aren't going to stuff yourself with that sodium soup in my body!"

Naruto pretended to think. "Oh, so I guess you'll have to eat it for me. I already ate one of your tomatoes, so you might as well repay me by eating ramen." He edged towards the Uchiha, grinning in a way Sasuke never knew his face could. "Or I can just figure out a way to go over to sad little Ino, there, and kiss her back, and…"

That was where Sasuke snapped. It didn't take much. He glowered, muttering a short fine, I'll go. And that was the choice.

~sSs~

"Hey, hey, you're supposed to smile, remember!" Naruto muttered as quietly as he could, making sure onlookers couldn't tell who he was talking to. "You're all broody, again. If anything, _I'm_ the one who should be like that, since _I_ was the one forcibly kissed twice in one week, both on the lips, I might add." Sasuke didn't respond. As they neared the stand, Naruto was sad to not feel quite so excited as usual, but he could blame that on Sasuke. On the other hand, Sasuke didn't know it was possible to be so impossibly excited to eat a food he supposedly hated for its health content. "Order beef, first."

Sasuke turned his head to look. "Huh?"

"First beef, two porks, a miso, and one more beef, and most likely an extra miso. After that, whatever you want, but that's always the starting order, unless there's a special, then I take that first." Sasuke only stared. "What is you usually get when you come here?"

"I don't eat ramen."

Naruto gasped. "Then it wasn't so bad that we got stuck together on team seven! I have to teach you everything there is to know about ramen! But I'll do that later. For today, I guess I'll settle with miso for you. Sound alright?" And again, no answer.

They walked under the flags, sitting at the far left edge, Sasuke in the corner [A/N: Is it an emo corner?]. He didn't even order before the old man behind the counter set down a ramen bowl before him with dark broth and a salty, meaty smell. "Don't reckon you come around here, too often, Uchiha-san. What'll you like?"

"Miso," Naruto said blankly. He set off to work. When Teuchi turned his back, Naruto quickly shifted in his chair and stared at Sasuke. Sasuke glanced over in wonder. "I'm gonna watch you, ya know, cause I'm not gonna miss this. It doesn't seem possible that it's your first Ichiraku ramen, but since it is, I gotta see your reaction!"

Sasuke almost retorted that it couldn't be much different than regular instant ramen, when he heard a girl. "First? Oh no, Naruto comes here all the time. Ah, but I don't remember you. Wasn't it Sasuke?"

Naruto faced her, leaving Sasuke without the burden of seeing his unusually enthusiastic gaze. "Ah, yes, Uchiha Sasuke," said Naruto giving Ayame a nod.

She smiled, returning to help her father in the back. Sasuke, meanwhile, hadn't heard a word of it. When Naruto redirected his gaze at Sasuke, there was a considerable amount of noodle heaven missing from the bowl. "Whoa! Do I really eat that fast?"

Sasuke, realizing he'd been caught, leaned over and rested his chin on his fist, sucking lightly on his lower lip, then licking the broth from the edges of his mouth. "Yes, dobe, you do." Naruto almost gaped, knowing that it was actually Sasuke that just ate it. Sure, anyone else would see it as normal, but, "Here's your miso," said by Teuchi broke through his thoughts.

Naruto took a set of chopsticks ad thanked the man. "Itadaimasu," he chimed, before starting on his noodles, slowly. He kept glancing at Sasuke, wondering if that was what he really looked like when he ate. Sasuke ate in the order Naruto predicted he would, and, after every single one, he still didn't feel full. Naruto decided to take a second helping of miso, but Sasuke couldn't really say anything against it. Still, by the time he finished that second, Sasuke had polished off his eighth. Naruto and he left, one full and one still with extra room. "I never thought I'd get full off of three bowls, let alone two."

Sasuke shrugged, the taste of miso still lingering on his tongue. He found that flavor quite enjoyable. "Your stomach is too large to be human."

Whether or not it was hinting at the Kyuubi, Naruto let the comment slip. He waved a hand carelessly. Somewhere, within the next few minutes, he predicted a switch. Would he be right? "Hey, what about at night?" he questioned.

"Hmm?"

"Are we, er, gonna go to each other's places, or what? Or what if we change in the middle of sleep?"

Sasuke sighed. "We don't really have much choice in the matter, but we'll just go to whoever's body we happen to be in." Naruto nodded.

"All right, then. Wanna come over, then, so I can show you around? I'll try cleaning up some to make your life… somewhat easier." Sasuke nodded. He knew any help navigating through that miniature maze would be of great use.

~sSs~

He had been right; there was a switch soon before they arrived at Naruto's apartment. "Tadaima!" shouted the blonde. And also, as expected, there was no answer to his call. "Welcome in, and I'll kill you if I find anything wrong from five mornings ago."

Sasuke only rolled his eyes. "What could I do? It's a tornado zone in there." Naruto pouted, and Sasuke was glad he was in his own body, not Sasuke's, because he really didn't want to see anymore weird Naruto faces with his Uchiha frame.


	10. I Know Sasuke

Ah, finally back. Bet you all are kinda mad that I take so long, hn?

~sSs~

Sasuke blinked at the sight. If he had thought the place was messy before, that was nothing. Someone, or several people, had completely ransacked the place. But, Naruto didn't react quite as he expected. In fact, not at all. All he said was, "I don't blame you." Sasuke watched the blonde walk among the wreckage and start to replace fallen items, scattered scrolls. Between the two of them, it wasn't quite so large a job, but it still troubled Sasuke that Naruto wasn't affected by this.

"Why?" he suddenly asked, while collecting torn blankets.

"Hmm?"

"Why aren't you angry? Why don't you act?" Sasuke snapped. Naruto just… let it happen. He didn't care at all!

Naruto shrugged. "They all have their own feelings, the villagers. When you're me, you begin to understand and learn to accept that you can't change all of their thoughts. Some don't hate me any longer for Him, but I'm still a village nuisance."

Kami, that was one thing that really bothered Sasuke. There were plenty of 'nuisances' in Konoha, but Naruto thought himself to be low enough to deserve this! He was no more trouble than any non-ninja child who played little tricks. Naruto didn't deserve this anymore than one of those other 'nuisances.' "You're above them. Don't put yourself at that level."

Naruto turned around to face the Uchiha. He was slightly stunned to hear those words from anyone, let alone Sasuke. Sasuke had said… "Sasuke, you— "

"Sasuke-kun!" Whoa, holy ramen! What the heck was that? "Sasuke-kun, Sasuke-kun!" The two boys simultaneously reached for their kunai pouch when they heard the door being slammed open. "Sasuke-kun! What did you do to Ino?" Oh, shoot. Sakura. Well, that would explain some things. "Sasuke-kun, I— " But she stopped and changed her words. "What are you doing in Naruto's apartment? Why didn't you come see me when you got back?"

Naruto butt in, "He and I went and trained, Sakura-chan, and Ino happened to walk in on us, was all. We just went and got some ramen before coming here. You shouldn't come in here without my permission, though… Wait, how did you know where I lived?"

Sakura straightened. "Hmph, I didn't need to know where _you_ lived, only where _Sasuke-kun _was. Still, I can't believe you even _can_ live here. Look, it's a total mess!" Naruto frowned. What did she know? He was not the cause for its present state. Jeez, Sasuke and he had just spent the last half hour on it, and it looked fairly put together, considering what it was like before they started. "Hanging out with Sasuke-kun won't— "

"Oi!" Naruto snapped, "what's with you and Sasuke? Sasuke-kun this, Sasuke-kun that! Really! You're no different than Ino, or any other fangirl, are you? I thought you'd come to your senses! He's not Kami!" Sasuke just watched the banter continue with crossed arms and a bored frown. He never liked any of the female species, especially ones with pink hair. They were all annoying, just pains. "What is it you like so much about teme, anyway?"

Sasuke smirked. Sure, he was used to being called bastard by now; it was kind of like his 'pet name' from Naruto, as he always called the dobe a deadlast. It didn't mean much to either, anymore. However, Sakura was not used to the title. "N-nani? You dare call Sasuke-kun that? He's nowhere near your level, Naruto-baka! I should know!"

"He's exactly the same!" At this point in time, they really were. Well, sometimes. "And I bet you don't know a thing about him!"

Sasuke sighed. This argument was getting loud. And it was about him. Neither Naruto nor Sakura seemed to notice him standing behind the blonde, tapping his fingers in irritation on the counter. "More than you could!"

"Try me!"

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow. Seriously? Oh, how far was this challenge going to go… "You don't even know his favorite color!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, as he muttered, "Oh, how difficult. Red."

"Blue!"

"No, it's red. Just ask him." Naruto waved a hand behind him, and Sasuke nodded. Red reminded him of the Uchiha crest, the Sharingan, the day of the massacre, and… Itachi. Red made him strong.

"W-well… What's his height to the inch?"

Naruto blinked. "… Why or _how_ would you know that? Oi, Sasuke, did you ever tell her?" Sasuke shook his head. Why the heck would he do that? "Scary stalker…"

"One wrong! Next! Tell me who he despises more than anyone."

Sasuke paused, waiting to see what he would tell Sakura. "I— I can't— " Naruto wouldn't reveal what he found out through Sasuke's nightmares. Not only had Sasuke never personally told him, but it wasn't his right to tell Sakura, even if Sasuke had openly explained the man.

"Another unanswered. Two wrong, only one right." She added 'one right' with a grudge. How could she be wrong? Perhaps he had just recently changed his favorite color. Yes, that was why. "What's his favorite food?"

"Again with the favorites? He likes all sorts of healthy stuff, but I bet you couldn't answer any single question if I quizzed you." Sakura glared at the blonde. Had he just suggested that he knows _more_ than her about Sasuke-kun? "For instance, since you asked who he despises, I bet you don't know who he likes."

"Me!"

Naruto decided not to counter that. He's probably get punched if he pointed out that Sasuke thought nothing of her, least of all like her. "Whatever. Since that's wrong, what's he fear?"

At this question, Sasuke stopped his tapping. Did… Naruto know that? Or was he only trying to probe that Sakura girl? "He, Sasuke doesn't fear anything! He's way stronger than you!"

"Interesting." Naruto was almost having fun, hearing her impossible answers. He was starting to have trouble trying to remember why he ever wanted to date her. "So, for the next. Just wondering this, who was it that you thought he hated, now? I must assume…"

"You, of course! All you ever do is get in his way. You're only a nuisance to him."

"He is not!" Sasuke wanted to hear nothing of that stupid word. Naruto thought he was a nuisance. Sakura just said so, again. If he wracked his mind, he remembered his father even saying the fox boy was nothing but a village pest, a nuisance. Why? For what? Sure, Naruto played pranks now and again. Yes, twelve years ago, the Kyuubi was sealed inside of him by the Fourth, but he wasn't that different! "You're the one that annoys me. Leave him alone. You know nothing about me, and if you still want to think you're an expert, put this in your file: Naruto is a better friend than any of you."

"Sasuke…" Naruto whispered.

"But, Sasuke-kun…"

"Just leave. We'll regrettably see you tomorrow with Kakashi." Sasuke became silent, and Sakura eventually left.

Naruto tilted his head, pouting. "Hey, hey, that's two girls that've cried because of you, now, today. Man, everything is coming in twos. Two switching souls. Two crying girls. My only meal that I had only two bowls of ramen. And both of us two got our names screamed by Sakura and Ino, and we, or me, anyway, became deaf from it for a couple seconds. Two is cursed!"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nah, it's not cursed. If it was, we wouldn't have escaped well during the second day. Remember? Two's just coincidental."

"Meh, whatever you say. Still, we better be careful around them… Sakura's gonna try an' kill me, and you said you didn't want me to die." Sasuke nodded. Naruto peered at him. "Eh? Something up?" Naruto wondered, I didn't do anything wrong, right? Something's bothering him, I can tell. "Something I said?"

"No, I'm fine."

"You can't very well lie to a person that has your thoughts and feelings half of the time."

"I'm fine."

"No, you aren't."

"Fine."

"Sad?"

"Fine."

"Angry?"

"Getting there, if you keep up this childish quarrel."

"At me? How come?"

"Naruto…" Sasuke partly whined. Oh Kami, he sounded like Naruto, when he used to whine to Sakura.

Naruto mocked, "Sasuke…"

"Leave it alone."

Naruto sighed and shuffled over to his half completed bed, with Sasuke following. Naruto flung himself onto the mattress, and muttered, "You're a really depressing person to be around, you know."

"So you've told me."

Still, Naruto had to admit, he was much less depressing than he used to be. He didn't rely on single worded responses, and he talked fairly lightly, not as dark and heavy as before. "You won't tell me. Will I have to guess?"

"Perhaps," he said, and sat next to the orange clad ninja.

"All right. I'll just start over. Was it something I did?" Sasuke didn't respond. "Okay then. Nice description. Angry at Sakura?" Again, but a silent answer. "You're very good with talking, aren't you?" And the evening continued, with Sasuke occasionally shifting to watch Naruto think, or Naruto repositioning himself on the holey sheets. Naruto kept listing off emotions, and Sasuke continued not to reply. "You're worried, aren't you?" Though a silence was kept by the Uchiha, he tensed, showing truth. "What about?"

"Nothing, dobe."

"Hey, hey, a dobe couldn't have guessed for this long and get an answer from you."

"And what was that answer?" queried Sasuke. "What have you learned, then?"

Naruto shrugged. "I at least know that you aren't angry at me. And it's worry… therefore fear."

Sasuke paused. "…Fear. Why do you think that? What am I afraid of?"

And it clicked. Naruto said, "Ah, so that's it." Sasuke waited for an explanation. "You thought I was going to tell Sakura what you're afraid of, didn't you? Hey, I'm not that mean to you," he said with a grin.

No, thought Sasuke, that's not it. That isn't what I mean. "Yeah. I doubt you'd live if that happened."

"Hey!"

Sasuke smirked. "Nanchatte, dobe."

"Teme…"

"What is it?"

Naruto sighed contently. "Ah, nothing." Naruto didn't need to tell Sasuke just yet. Besides, he might already have known.

~sSs~

A/N: Nanchatte: just kidding/ I'm joking


	11. Let Me Introduce Myself

I had... absolutely no inspiration for this. It's dead. Sorry, sorry, you waited over a month for... _this_.

~sSs~

"Uchiha-san is still there. What'll we do, boss?" asked a gruff man.

Hidden in shadows, a muffled voice lashed, "It's fine. Just wait for him to leave. We'll get the fox brat, yet." Sneering eyes looked back onto the light coming from the window. "But I hate waiting!" Shadows shifted passed the open window every now and then, each carrying bits of trash and scraps that the man and his group had destroyed days earlier. "Sure, ruin our hard work, why don't you? Took time, getting it that trashed." Finally, they got sick of waiting for the Uchiha, deciding to try the next night. If there was anything they didn't need, it was a prodigy young ninja on their case.

Besides, there were plenty of nights in a year, plenty of opportunities to mess with the demon. "We'll be back. Uchiha-san won't always be there to protect that demon."

~sSs~

They both laid there on Naruto's bed for a few more minutes, staring at the bare ceiling. Naruto could believe a lot of things, but one thing that he couldn't believe was that Sasuke was his worst enemy just last week. Now, here they both were, resting on his bed, simply thinking. Naruto was here with his friend, his best friend. And he was happy. Naruto sighed once again. Even if his home had been torn through, he didn't have to clean it alone, this time. "Thanks."

"Hn?"

"For helping pick up this place," he said. "So, now what? Gonna go home, or stay here longer?" Naruto flinched. It wasn't supposed to sound like that. "Not that I want you to go! I just meant… anou…"

Sasuke shrugged it off. "Doesn't matter… If you want, you could come sleep over… and we could finish fixing your home tomorrow."

Naruto looked puzzled. "Really? Is that okay? Maybe I should stay here. Then, I can be sure that no one else comes back tonight and tries to mess up stuff, again."

Sasuke nodded slowly from his position on his back. "That may be best…"

~sSs~

In fact, Sasuke and Naruto finished the bedroom, and majority of other little places, like the ramen across the kitchen floor, or random bits of toilet paper and torn towels in the bathroom.

Sasuke didn't know why; it was too unlike an Uchiha to suddenly care for anyone, let alone that blonde idiot. I wonder what happens in his mind, when he can talk to that Kyuubi, or understand so much more than anyone gives him credit for. I wonder what it feels like to always pretend to be the moron when you have so much more skill than anyone knows. He's always criticized, always taunted, now I know he was even beaten… Ugh, this pisses me off more than I should let it! Get a hold of yourself, Uchiha! Let the dobe deal with his own problems, and stop intervening…

"Sasuke, it's kinda late, you know." Sasuke grunted in response to Naruto's obvious speculation. "I doubt anyone's coming back, tonight. Probably since they only did it because I was gone. No one's ever tried to break in while I was here, so…"

"I'm gonna stay."

Naruto sat up, quickly. "Eh?"

"I just feel like it. You don't really know…" Sasuke excused himself by muttering, "The villagers that did this might think you're still missing."

"Yeah, sure…" Naruto held back a snicker. "Unless you're _worried_ for me. Aw, see? I told you that you cared!" Sasuke leaned forward and rested his head on an open palm. He sighed, as Naruto started a new ramble to lighten the mood. "… used to be such a jerk, but now we're all good. But still, I promise I'll be your rival, as you're the only person worthy to… and that Kakashi guy, since we'll have to meet him tomorrow. Do you know anything about… Ichiraku's, never will you find such a tasty, delicious, yummy ramen in your entire life. It's always…" And it didn't seem as annoying at Sasuke used to think it was, Naruto's voice. In fact, as scratchy and high pitched it was for a boy, Sasuke liked it. But, he also knew that the happy demeanor was nearly always just a cover for Naruto, so that even Sasuke couldn't tell just what was happening inside that blonde head. "… how it happened. Anyway, guess you're gonna sleep here. Not much point going home at this hour, right?"

"Anou… I…" Sasuke didn't expect Naruto ask him to stay. Well, he didn't but he also didn't tell him to leave, but it counted as asking, right? Yeah. It was a question in statement form.

"Here, you can take the bed. I'll sleep on the floor, since you're the guest and stuff." Honestly, Naruto was pretty excited. I mean, he'd never had a friend close enough to have a 'sleepover' with, nor would any parents want their child alone with the demon in broad daylight, so he doubted night was any better. Even if it was Sasuke, the teme that's probably too cool for such things, even if he was only here because he had helped clean his apartment, even if they would only get about two hours of sleep, he didn't mind.

"Uh, no, that's fine! We can… both be on the bed. It's room enough for us, right? You don't need to sleep on the floor, or anything." The both of them had slept on the ground for four nights straight… Sasuke didn't want to make him sleep like that again, so soon. And for that reason exactly, they were used to sleeping by each other, now. The first decent sleep they had was when they found themselves in the forest, when in Amegakure, and Sasuke climbed up a tree and rested in the branches, and Naruto kept on the ground. But during the night, Naruto had climbed up next to his nemesis, claiming that he wasn't tired enough, and was going to train, but fell asleep in the process. But after that night, and no one died in their sleep, they were fine with it. Remember, it only takes on success to brave a fear… when you're a ninja.

Naruto muttered quietly, "Alright, then." He nodded, and fell into slumber almost instantly.

"Hn," Sasuke partially laughed. "And who was going to stay up make sure no one snuck in and ransacked the place, again? Night, dobe."

In his unconscious state, Naruto automatically mumbled in a slurred voice, "Shut up, teme. Goodnight."

~sSs~

"Ahhh!" Naruto yawned and cracked open an eye. looking over, he noticed a blonde Sasuke staring at the ceiling. Couldn't have been a long sleep, but it was something, and long enough for them to switch in their sleep. "Mornin', teme."

Sasuke continued to gaze tiredly at the ceiling as he sighed, "You dream about ramen."

Naruto chuckled, "You just noticed?"

Not responding to this, Sasuke said, "We have to meet our sensei, today… along with that pink-haired, loud-mouthed, over-obsessed-with-me, annoying as hell— " Naruto had no idea how Sasuke managed to deadpan that.

"Yes, I know. Kakashi-sensei and Sakura." Naruto wasn't surprised that he didn't automatically add '-chan' to her name. She kept getting more distant, and he got closer to Sasuke, his only, and best, friend; well, the people at the ramen stand, Ayame and Teuchi, were his friends, and Iruka, maybe even the Hokage, but as far as kids his age, it was only Sasuke.

"We should leave, soon, or else we'll be late. The last thing I need is to hear how worried Pinky was, thinking we'd been kidnapped again."

Naruto muttered something about 'you mean you'd been kidnapped…' Still, he sat up and stretched, and ran for his ramen… before he realized that he had to eat tomatoes… "Hah! You have to eat instant ramen for breakfast!"

Sasuke shrugged. Ramen wasn't so bad. As long as it wasn't his body, he was fine with eating ramen; Naruto's sense of taste made that possible. "Whatever, but we better hurry."

"Hn!"

~sSs~

Naruto put on his best, what he dubbed 'icy prick face,' much to Sasuke's disapproval, and walked towards the grounds. Sakura was running up behind them, and chimed her normal "Ohayo, Sasuke-kun!"

Both teens ignored her, and the three spent about twenty minutes in silence, before Sasuke broke it, when Naruto started giving him the 'dude-you're-not-doing-what-I-would-be-doing-at-all-so-start-talking'eye. "Hey, hey, where's sensei? We spent, like, a week getting back here, and he doesn't even bother to show up? Sasuke, are you bored? I'm bored. Why can't sensei get here sooner? How come— ack! Ow, ow! Sakura-chan! What was that for?" Sasuke was currently on the ground, holding his blonde head in mock pain. As bad as it was, her fists were more tolerable than Naruto made them out to be. Luckily for them, they had a switch right then, so Sasuke wouldn't have to pretend for long. "I was just asking a question…" Naruto whined perfectly.

"You're so annoyi— Uh, I mean… uh, sorry, out of habit. You aren't annoying at all!" she exclaimed, with a fake smile. "Not any more! It's just how you kept pulling pranks in the Academy, and all…"

Naruto stood up, acting as cheerful as usual. "Ah, uh, yeah? I'm a lot more mature, I guess, huh? Yep. Uzumaki Naruto is definitely serious about being a ninja! He's gonna be Hokage!"

Sasuke sighed. Honestly, he couldn't tell what Naruto meant, and what was acting. Then, he heard something. Hardly anything, and neither Sakura nor Naruto seemed to notice it, but he knew. He was always aware of it, at the first sign.

Naruto noticed the dazed look on Sasuke's face and waved a hand in front of him. "Eh, all right, Sasuke?" he asked, edging in.

Sasuke blinked and stepped back. "Hn. I'm fine, dobe." He crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, looking away. Dammit, I haven't shown weakness to anyone for years! This isn't the place, or time to end that streak! Still, the distance roaring was working its way into his mind.

"Yo!"

"Gah! Wh- When did — ?" Naruto fell backwards at Kakashi's sudden appearance. "You're mean, sensei!"

Kakashi ignored this and went into his routine, which hadn't changed, despite the delay. "Let's introduce ourselves, why don't we? Something like your name, likes, hobbies, what you hate, dreams, stuff like that. I'll go first," he chimed. "Hatake Kakashi, I don't like much, same for dislikes… Eh, I have many hobbies, and I don't dream. Stuff I hate… well, you don't need to know that." The jounin sighed and pointed to Naruto, saying, "All right, you in orange."

"Uh, uh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I like instant cup ramen, and especially the ramen from Ichiraku's! I like to try different kinds of ramen, compare different flavors, mix them together, and I will for sure be the next, greatest Hokage!" Sasuke sighed, glad that he didn't have to do that. It was good that Kakashi came just a few minutes after the switch. "And, I like orange, definitely!"

Kakashi nodded to Sakura, "Pinky." Sasuke felt an ache in his head, and cursed, that dobe better not mess up. Similarly, Naruto was quickly thinking up Sasuke's introduction. Oh man, oh man, why now? I can't think! What am I allowed to say?

Sakura wanted her first impression to be good, but she couldn't really introduce herself properly… "I'm Haruno Sakura. Um, what I like… my dream… er, hobbies… What I hate…" She couldn't say she hated Naruto. Sasuke wouldn't like that, at all. "Um…"

Kakashi waited for more, but then turned to whom he 'thought' to be Uchiha Sasuke. "… Well?"


	12. Fears

I, um... sorta took everything I had and tried to mush it up into a decent chapter... I hoped this short wait would make up for the last few boring chapters... Did I make it? Is it good? I'll try to update quicker, I'll try.

~sSs~

Naruto waited for it to happen. He waited for his "other mind" to talk for him, but you know what? Nothing was happening. Kuso, kuso… what am I supposed to say? Doing my own intro was bad enough, so now I gotta think of his? Stupid Sasuke… Um, let's see… name, likes, hobbies, hates, dreams was what Kakashi said, so… "Uchiha Sasuke…" Duh, so next. "I don't like anyone or anything, and my only hobby is training." Yeah, and he hates… um… a lot of things. Will that work, I wonder? Oh well, can't be worse or less informative than Sensei's. "I hate a lot of things… and my dreams…"

Kuso, _kuso_, _KUSO_! I should not have even _started_ to talk about dreams. I'm probably the only kid in the world that knows about that person… So, how should I finish this? Dream, dream… Gah, every time I end up sleeping in his body, I get his nightmares! Teme can't ever just have a _normal_ dream about _normal_ stuff like _normal_ guys. I can't even just invent a random dream! This would be so much easier to make up if I _didn't_ know anything about him…

Sasuke wasn't completely displeased with Naruto's answers, but they would've been better if he wasn't taking nearly an hour to get through it. "Hey, teme. Hurry it up, so we can train, huh?"

Naruto snapped out of his thoughts and finished quickly, "and my dream is to… murder a… certain _someone_."

That answer wasn't what he expected of the dobe, but Sasuke couldn't say he wouldn't have done the same. However… when did Naruto find out? Darn it, Naruto knew way more about him than he yet knew of Naruto. How did he find out? Wait… _'You dream about ramen… You just noticed?'_ Gah, such an idiot! Of course if he dreamed about ramen, then naturally Naruto would see his… Sasuke cursed himself for being so slow at the ways this jutsu worked. Everything he could do, Naruto could also.

"Right… so, our first task is…" Sasuke made sure to look as excited as possible for Kakashi's announcement. "… a test: Survival Training."

"EH?"

"B- But, Kakashi- sensei!" Sakura stammered. "We've already done this sort of thing back at the academy! What's this about?"

Sasuke put up his best volume to complain, "Why can't you just teach us some cool new jutsu, huh? We know all about this!" Actually, the longer he had to do this, the better he got at acting. Sasuke was — I dare I even suggest this — having _fun_ [A/N: *doom* O.O]. "Kaka-sensei!"

Kakashi only chuckled. At this, Sasuke stopped. "Hey, what's so funny, sensei?" Yeah, being able to free himself from his strict, Uchiha, stoic ways was getting fun. Never would he do this in his own body. And somehow, _somehow_, Naruto was holding his breath and keeping silent during Sasuke's act of hilarity.

"It's just so funny… You'll laugh too, when you hear this!" Naruto glanced in boredom at his new crazy sensei, while Sasuke and Sakura leaned forward in anticipation. "The passing rate of this is thirty three percent. So of the twenty seven graduates, only nine will become true genin."

Sasuke thought about how Naruto _should've_ reacted, and he just couldn't do it… so instead, he did as Kakashi said. He laughed; just trying to picture pretending to be Naruto was… Sasuke couldn't do it. And Kakashi was shocked. It wasn't a full blown laugh, or a little snicker, but a laugh, nonetheless. "Hehe, so only nine? Hah, poor others. Uzumaki Naruto's team will definitely pass!" He looked back and shared a fleeting gaze to let Naruto know that he was still sane, just a suddenly much better actor. "So, so, what do we have to do to pass, Sensei?"

Kakashi began his explanation, and as Naruto watched the events play out, he couldn't deny it; he was scared beyond reason. Sasuke… was _freaking him out_. That's the only way to say it. Holy crap, what happened to him? He can't just… he is… Holy God of Ramen! Naruto kept his expression hard and unreadable, but his mind was definitely not the same.

"And that's it. We'll meet tomorrow at sunrise, again, and you'll have until noon. Dismissed." Kakashi disappeared behind a smokescreen, and left the three almost-genin to plan.

Naruto snapped out of his trance as Sasuke and Sakura neared him. "So, uh, Sasuke- kun… _and Naruto_, wanna eat lunch together?" Sakura asked. "Um… my treat."

Sasuke knew what Sakura expected, but he didn't know if Naruto would decline. Honestly, he really didn't want to be alone with her. He stared at Naruto, and the raven finally decided that they'd all go out. After all, they were just going as a team, together, right? It was normal. Naruto nodded. "Sure." Glaring up at the blonde, he demanded that Sasuke do something to get them to have ramen. Although, he was a little annoyed that this was the second day in a row that his afternoon meal was stolen by Sasuke.

"Uh, hey, Sakura- chan! Can we eat ramen? Ichiraku's is the best place to get ramen! Yeah, it's really good! You should go try it, if you haven't; even teme likes it, there!" That got Sakura.

"Hn, but if we go there, I'd take back your word. The way that dobe eats, you'll be broke in one sitting," Naruto deadpanned. Sasuke crossed his arms. So what? It wasn't as if it was _his_ choice to eat like a speed demon… no puns intended.

~sSs~

Kakashi's explanation was longer than Naruto realized, and it was far past the evening dinnertime. Seconds after realizing this, he also realized he was starving.

Please, switch us; I really want ramen. Please, switch; I need, need, _need_ ramen! Naruto mentally begged, hoping he'd be able to finally get his ramen. Just miso wasn't enough for him! Ramen was his source of life! They were about to order, and Naruto sat in Sasuke's normal position, hands together. He had his eyes closed in a silent chant, hoping his mantra would work.

Just doing this, he also wondered if he and Sasuke could somehow, _possibly_, learn to somewhat control when it happened. Probably not now, but maybe when it was weaker. But, then how long could they hold control before it went whack again? Naruto sighed. Kyuubi should've explained this stuff further before. I thought it'd be like a henge that teme couldn't release… but, it was something to look through another person's life, and thoughts.

Unfortunately, his chanting didn't work, and he was currently slowly slurping up some miso ramen. Naruto sat between Sasuke and Sakura, and he noticed Sasuke pausing in his movement ever so often. Why is he doing that? There's nothing to…

But when he listened closer, over all of the bustling of villagers and working done, he could hear what made Sasuke so uneasy. This wasn't good. Naruto had… er, taken a few looks into teme's memories, before… Not because he wanted to be nosy, like a girl, or nothin'! He couldn't help it. It was one of those times when Sasuke's brain was in control, rather than Naruto. "Sakura…" Naruto said.

She turned to him expectantly, hoping that she'd finally been noticed; hoping that maybe she'd been forgiven. "Yes, Sasuke-kun? Want something?"

"Um, maybe we'll eat together a different time. I — Naruto has something he needs to do." He made a grab for Sasuke's wrist, but teme pulled away.

"What're you doing, teme?" He was just out of Naruto's reach, but Naruto leaned in and whispered something. Sasuke froze up for a split second and that's all the time Naruto needed to drag him away and out of Sakura's sight. She was annoyed. They kept leaving her out of things. She stood outside the ramen stand, and as she watched them leave, she felt a cold rain drop on her cheek; a storm was coming.

~sSs~

"Really, Naruto! What are you doing? Stop!" But he wasn't a very good resistor. "I'm fine, so you can let go!"

Naruto continued not to listen until they were all the way to Sasuke's home. "Trust me when I say, you won't be fine in half an hour," — thunder cracked the sky — "or less."

"I'm!" When lightning whipped across a dimming spray of clouds and rumbled, Sasuke admitted it waveringly. He looked down, ashamed of this one weakness. "… not… fine."

Naruto nodded and pulled him inside. It was easy enough to find his bedroom. Naruto peered at his friend. As his first friend, Naruto vowed to protect Sasuke, no matter what. "Stay, so I'll get a towel." Naruto wiped his feet off in the entry and dashed to the bathroom, to find one. When he returned, Sasuke was standing straight as an arrow, not moving an inch. Honestly, Naruto wasn't much one for thunder, either, but his worst fears rested somewhere else. Holding up the dry towel, Naruto flung it around Sasuke's shoulders, trying to force him to move to the bedroom. It should be better than standing until the storm passed.

"Come on, you can walk," he coaxed, gripping his shoulders through the fabric. Naruto had no idea what exactly Sasuke was seeing, but it wasn't him. Sasuke was somewhere lost in his memories, and his legs wouldn't budge. "I dunno… Can I just pick him up?" Naruto wondered aloud. "But what about his wet clothes? I'm close, but I don't think he'd let me change him, or something, even if it is my body." Well, it _is_ me. It'll be better than being in wet clothes and getting myself sick. That in mind, Naruto took him up bridal style and was soon searching for a set of pajamas. Like before, if it was protecting him from the common cold, or protecting him from his own thoughts, Naruto was definitely going to make sure nothing hurt his friend, for sure.

It was strange, really. It hardly ever stormed in Konoha, but it just so happened to be their homecoming celebration. Naruto decided that they were cursed with bad luck. Anyway, he rummaged for maybe a pair of older, smaller clothes that might fit his body. After all, Naruto's frame was a little thinner and shorter than the Uchiha's. Eventually, Naruto settled with a black t-shirt and gray shorts, and tried his best to dry off Sasuke's blonde spikes.

Naruto felt really weird dressing up his own body, but it was only so Sasuke's wouldn't get sick, and therefore make him sick. If Naruto was ill, he couldn't always be around Sasuke, and if they weren't together, bad things were bound to happen. Until these two months were up, Naruto would stick to his side like Velcro.

"All right. It's only my body, so it won't really be Sasuke. Think of him like a clone… Uh, no, don't think of it like that. You're only helping a friend." Naruto walked over and peered into Sasuke's blue eyes. They weren't looking at him. Naruto bet anything that they were looking at a mass of unburied corpses. Naruto bet anything that Sasuke was staring Itachi in the eyes. Sasuke's hands were over his ears, and his teeth were clenched in a determination.

Naruto reached forward and unzipped his jacket, but it was a problem to get it around and off of Sasuke's arms. "Ah man, why's he gotta be so stiff? Come on, loosen up, a little!" Naruto struggled a bit to peel the damp coat away from Sasuke's skin, then attempt to get the stubborn limbs out.

"… chi…" Naruto heard Sasuke whispering. "Itachi…" Everything in his life revolved around that bastard. Sasuke dedicated his life, everything he ever did, to surpassing that man. And Naruto wished… that when it came time to defeat Itachi, Sasuke wouldn't leave him alone, again. Maybe, he'd let Naruto follow, and they could beat him, together.

Naruto spent the night by a flinching Sasuke. He didn't know much about comforting, but when he once went to the Hokage during a storm, the man had hugged him. Maybe that was what he should to for Sasuke? Sasuke didn't pull away when the arms reached him, but he didn't seem much better, either. Naruto felt bad for him. It was probably lucky for Sasuke's pride that most storms happened at might, and often times school was cancelled for storms during the day, but having it for this long made it that much harder to overcome. Looking at him now, Naruto didn't really see the relaxed, mature, collected Sasuke that he showed everyone. He saw the childish side that appeared during the time of the cave and forest '_exploring_' they did together. And he saw a child afraid of thunder, wishing he had protection from someone that wasn't there; but Naruto would be there. He wasn't the family Sasuke wanted, but he was a friend, a… brother.

"Hmm," he sighed. "This storm… why is it lasting so long? Shouldn't it have ended, already?" Still, Naruto kept at close hand. He could feel Sasuke's body stop shaking, and the chanting of a cursed name finally stopped. Was he asleep?

He slouched over, his head on Naruto's shoulder. Well, if was conscious, Naruto figured that he would've moved away, muttering about something or other; he'd probably mention personal space bubbles, or being too close. Naruto knew he wasn't a 'touchy-feely' person. Naruto didn't want to wake him, so continued to sit in as Sasuke's human pillow, and eventually dozed off, himself.

~sSs~

"Hmm?" Naruto yawned and rubbed his eyes. The night had come and gone with the storm. He blinked at the new light, and looked around. Where was Sasuke?

"Hn. Finally awake, dobe?" Sasuke asked, returned to his normal body. He was wearing the clothes that Naruto had changed into the previous night. "You really know how to anger Sakura. She came over, today, wondering about what I had to remind you of." Seeing the look on Naruto's face, he continued, "I told her you caught something while you were gone. You had some medicines to take."

Naruto nodded. "So, er, do you remember…" Naruto wondered about Sasuke, and worried about him, he even, to a small extent, respected him, as often as he make fun of teme. However, what he wanted to know, was if Sasuke was about to thank him, forget what happened, or kill him for caring like an over protective mother. "Sasuke…"

~sSs~


	13. Kakashi's Test: Part 1

So yeah. Wrote this in a day... but you know what? I didn't have internet connection, so I had to wait like five days to post... dang.

~sSs~

_"So, er, do you remember…" Naruto wondered about Sasuke, and worried about him, he even, to a small extent, respected him, as often as he make fun of teme. However, what he wanted to know was if Sasuke was about to thank him, forget what happened, or kill him for caring like an over protective mother. "Sasuke…"_

"Dobe, what was that? You're a friend, but I don't need help dealing with my own weaknesses! If I want to overcome them, I'll figure out how to do it myself!"

Yeah, like that… He'll be mad… But, maybe, what if he's thankful?

"Thanks for being there. I guess I really do need someone around during those times…"

And then he'll hug me! Yeah, get real, Naruto. He's not that type to hug, only punch. And he smirks, he doesn't smile… What if he's ignorant? What if he doesn't even remember, or doesn't want to?

"Hn, what are you talking about? Remember what?" With an evil teme sneer…

"I don't know what you're talking about… Yesterday? I know there was a storm, but I fell asleep…" No way was he unconscious during that.

"Forget what happened. You never saw me like that, and next time there's a storm, don't help." Probably. He's just mean like that… or what about…

"Remember?" Sasuke began, pacing toward the bed. "Hmm, yes. I remember a lot of things. Mind clarifying, Naruto?"

Naruto shifted over teme's gaze. Why's he gotta make me explain weird stuff like this? Can't he let me off, once in a while? "Remember… yesterday… and, erm…" He shook his head. "What time'd you get up, this morning?"

"Early enough. When I woke up, you were in my lap and sleep talking about Ichiraku being your best friend." Naruto rubbed the back of his head with a snicker. That sounded about right. "It wasn't unexpected."

Yeah, of course. I probably sleep talk all the time, and— wait, wait,wait! I was in his lap? Sasuke means I was… "Ah!" Naruto fell off the bed in his own realization, while Sasuke peered at the dobe curiously, who was laying flat on the floor. "Was… that _all_ 'not unexpected'?"

"It wasn't surprising, and I found it completely predictable. For every time I've seen you sleep, you were mumbling something about ramen." Sasuke smirked, knowing what Naruto was really asking. "Anyway, we still have to meet Kakashi for that test. Come on."

Naruto stumbled to his feet. "But, but! What about breakfast? I'm finally in my own body, and you aren't even gonna let me have ramen? Teme is an evil person!"

Sasuke shrugged. "Didn't you hear his instructions? We're not supposed to eat."

Naruto gasped. "No! I _need_ ramen! It's life!"

"He told us that we'd throw up if we ate. We _are_ supposed to trust our sensei, right?" Sasuke sighed. "You can just eat it for lunch."

Naruto shook his head. "No, definitely not! For all I know, you might always be in my body during lunch or dinner time, and I'll end up with a measly two bowls, again! With this chance, at the possibility of throwing up, I'm gonna eat breakfast, for sure."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I must have a few cups in the kitchen. Go on."

"YAY!" Naruto started to run, and decided that since it's teme's food, he might as well make him a cup as well.

~sSs~

When Sasuke turned down the hall to see if Naruto had headed out yet, he was met by a frightening sight: uneaten ramen. Yet, there it was, in all its steamy glory, just sitting there, and Naruto hadn't eaten it. Sasuke never thought he'd see such a thing. He suddenly snapped to his senses, running to the kitchen. Something was wrong. But, when he got there, all he saw was Naruto staring at a red and orange revolving cup with his nose against the microwave door… and slightly drooling.

Sasuke mentally face palmed himself. Oh well. That's just Naruto. He walked over to a door and pulled out a clean cloth. "Dobe!" When Naruto turned around, Sasuke threw the towel in his face. Naruto pouted. "Don't get saliva on my counter." Thinking again, he added, "And why not eat just one cup? I don't buy ramen very often."

Naruto cocked an eye brow up. "Eh? But I am only eating one. The one out there's yours."

Sasuke blinked. "Dobe, you know I don't eat — "

"You honestly think that'll work?" Naruto lifted an eyebrow for a few seconds, then went back to staring at his cooking ramen.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke went out and picked up the cup. One morning couldn't hurt, right? Joining Naruto, they finished off the small meals before walking out to the training grounds, same as the day prior.

Naruto said as they neared the field, "And he better not be late today!"

~sSs~

"You were late, again!" Naruto shouted. "It's almost noon, and we waited since the sun rose!"

Sakura only groaned. Noon. Lunch. _Food_. She hadn't even eaten breakfast, since sensei told them not to.

"Sorry, guys." He grinned behind that dark mask, irritating Naruto. "I got lost."

"How could you get lost for nearly six hours?"

Kakashi grinned wider. "The road of life has many turns; it's constantly changing, you know. Don't blame me for getting a little mislead."

Naruto pouted. Sasuke had to admit it: when the dobe made that face, he looked more like a cute kid than a fierce ninja.

"All right. You have until sundown, but remember: If you aren't going to attempt to kill me, you'll never succeed. Go."

Sasuke and Sakura, who had paid attention to the instructions the day before, quickly jumped into hiding, however Naruto… "Uh… what?" He shook his head and went to find Sasuke. After all, teme could tell him what the test was about. Besides, he was easier to find than Sakura, since he could feel a bit of teme's chakra. Sure, he wasn't a sensory-type ninja, but it was something. Truth be told, he'd rather find the annoying pinkette, than admit to needing help from Sasuke again, but Sakura's presence had disappeared. It didn't take long to find teme, but, "Sasuke! What — "

Sasuke flinched and slapped a hand over Naruto's mouth before Kakashi noticed. Naruto glared and pushed the hand away. "Dobe!" he whispered harshly. "Don't go around yelling. You'll give away my position."

Naruto crossed his arm. "Well, _sooorry_. I came to find out what we're supposed to do, was all. I can't pass if I don't have the slightest idea what's happening!"

Sasuke huffed. Honestly, what did the dobe do during that time? "There are two bells on Kakashi's waist, and if we can get them, we pass. The one who doesn't get a bell goes back to the academy."

Naruto nodded, but then noticed something. "Wait… two bells? Only two? But, I thought all the genin teams had to have three and a jounin." Sasuke didn't respond other than a look about definitely getting a bell. He wouldn't go back to the academy. He wouldn't fail. "I'm going." Once again, no response from Naruto's icier side.

~sSs~

"I challenge you!" Kakashi looked up from his book. "Uzumaki Naruto will defeat all who stand in the way of him getting to rank of Hokage! Raaa!"

Kakashi simply went back to his book as the short kid threw all his strength into attacking. Feebly attacking, he might add. Naruto was even clumsier than he appeared yesterday. "All right! You asked for it! Katon:" — Kakashi paused in his place. Katon? Wasn't that most often used by Uchiha? No way would Naruto know something like that at his age and experience— "Gokakyou no Jutsu!" Taken by surprise, Kakashi had to escape the enormous fireball that rocketed his way. He didn't think it possible.

Kakashi tucked away his book and faced the blonde once more. "Where did you learn that?"

Naruto sniffed. "What's it matter? A ninja doesn't tell his enemy where he gets his jutsu from, or what his skills are. He shows tell my demonstration! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Sasuke and Sakura watched their sensei be buried by tens of orange bodies. Smoke would rise every few seconds, as a clone was dispelled. "Again! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu," Naruto's voice rang, when the numbers dwindled.

"Naruto…" whispered a stunned Sakura. "Were you always like this? You couldn't even make one clone in the academy…"

Sasuke smirked. Of course. He wondered what else of the Uchiha jutsu Naruto might use. However, this seemed to be going on too long. "Interesting fight, huh, Sasuke- kun?" Sasuke nearly jumped out of his skin. What! "Naruto's a bit different than I hear. Even to a jounin, that technique is life threatening. He's not the failure I thought he was."

Sasuke faced Kakashi, glaring at his sensei's grin. "Naruto is… wait." If Kakashi was here, then what was Naruto doing? "Naruto! You DOBE!"

~sSs~

"DOBE!" The single term hung in the air as it echoed across the field.

Naruto… er, about fifty Naruto's, turned towards Sasuke's voice. Huh? What's teme doing? I got him! I even got the — what? The silver orbs disappeared in a small smoke screen within his hand. Looking at the Kakashi that he'd restrained, the clone changed into a beaten and bruised Naruto, then dispersed itself. He'd… pummeled his own clone. Aw, crap, so this means the real Kaka- sensei is… Naruto slapped his forehead, and yelled, "All right, disperse! Find him! Take those bells!" Immediately, at least half raced towards the general direction of Sasuke's voice, while the rest surrounded the area.

Sakura ran into a clearing. I can't see anything like this! Where's Naruto and Sasuke? "Sakura!" She turned to the broken voice. "S-Sakura… help me…"

For a few seconds, she took in the sight… Sasuke cut, kunai stuck all over his body, blood dripping from his injuries and staining his clothes… then she screamed. And likely, she fainted. Kakashi rolled his eyes. Well, that wasn't what I expected, but I did get one down.

~sSs~

"Get off, dobe!"

"No! I know it's you, sensei! Quit pretending to be Sasuke! I'm gonna take the bells and pass!" Sasuke growled at the dobe, wondering how to prove that he wasn't Kakashi. He'd have to figure something out before Naruto really did try to kill him. Slipping out from under the pile of Naruto's, he ran to catch up to the real Kakashi. That'd sort it out. "Come back here, Sensei!"

"Naruto- baka!" Sasuke yelled as he ran. What could he prove himself with, if he didn't find Kakashi? Naruto would only chase him for so long before he got serious… I got it! "Naruto! Stop a moment!"

Naruto and his army didn't falter for a moment. "No way am I letting you go, this time!"

~sSs~

So, let me ask: What's Sasuke gonna say? If I like your guess better than my own choice, I might use that instead. Here's a short preview:

_"I can prove it to you. Come here." Naruto kept his guard up, while slowly approaching the figure in question. "I'm only gonna say this once, so listen up."_

_[Blah blah blah blah... and some other stuff related to Sakura.]_

_"I- I- I… t- teme! You said what?"_

_Sasuke merely shrugged. "I told you that I'd only say it once."_

_"I'm gonna kill teme!"_

And for you all, just so you know, this is a friendship story. As weird of times they may go through, it won't be shounin ai or yaoi. Don't worry about that.


	14. Kakashi's Test: Part 2

Stupid fried computer crashed... didn't give me nothing, or a warning... Anyway... before I get angsty or sumthin', here's your **FOURTEENTH** chapter! Whoo! Never thought I'd even get to ten... Wow. Anyway, I finally got my computer back and fixed, so I could start typing again, but school's gotten started, so... We'll see when chapter fifteen comes out. It's a little short, but... can you say it's kinda decent?

~sSs~

"You aren't escaping, Sensei!" Naruto continued to chase Sasuke until the raven fell just a step behind. A clone reached out and grabbed Sasuke's ankle, and they both plummeted to the grass, below. "Hold still, dang it!"

Sasuke tore free from the blondes' grasps. "Dobe! Stop it, already! I can prove that I'm not Kakashi, but release your annoying clones." Two sets of arms took him from behind. Sasuke huffed. Naruto was really stubborn, you know that? Although he was worn, Sasuke heaved the offending clones over his shoulders and onto their backs. A swift kick to each released them. "Come on, dobe. I'll prove it. I can."

Warily eyeing his opponent, Naruto decided to hide a few clones away in the distance, just in case, and released the others. "Okay. Do it."

Sasuke gestured with his hand that the dobe should come nearer. And when he did it, Kami, did he ever feel like Itachi. "Closer."

Naruto grumbled, shuffling up, slowly. "Fine, fine, what?"

"Listen up. I'm not repeating any of this."

~sSs~

Where are those guys? Where's sensei? I absolutely have to get a bell! Sakura ran around the open field, searching for her teammates. "I know they're around... and Sasuke will definitely get a bell, so I can't let Naruto get one!" She couldn't miss them when she saw them, but... "What's Sasuke and Naruto doing?" She watched as Naruto edged up to her crush, and Sasuke-kun grabbed Naruto's collar. She gasped. Were they fighting? What if Naruto really got hurt? Sasuke was a prodigy, and he could easily beat that clumsy Naruto, right? Yeah. Still, she couldn't move from her spot. It never occurred to her that the females of the class hurt him worse than Sasuke ever would.

Sasuke pulled Naruto's face closer, and Sakura could see what was happening. She saw it! Naruto lit up like a red lantern faster than Hinata at her best. "Ahhh!" With that outburst, and her dreams crushed, Sakura fainted _again_. If Sasuke liked Naruto... he would never like _her_...

Ah, the things a fangirl's mind can do...

~sSs~

"T-teme... stop saying stuff! I'll kill teme!"

"But I'm not done. I can't forget Taka-chan. You remember her, right?"

"Shut up, teme!" Naruto got redder, as Sasuke listed off his memories. But it was true. Naruto would never forget his beloved Taka-chan, a small stuffed fox that he used to hug during storms. "You saw that mixed in with your Itachi memories, I bet, in the storm, before..."

"And in the position I woke up, you must've thought I was her," Sasuke mocked, lightly.

"Grr... teme..."

"Dobe."

Naruto tried to push his flush down, but it still shone bright with embarrassment and irritation. "But, but! I know stuff about you, too! So-"

"Hn. Aren't you going to wait to blackmail me? I'll have to be on edge, right?" Well, I won't know until I switch again, but it'll be easy enough to find out.

"Humph. Fine, then." After a few uncomfortable moments, Naruto finally asked, "So, how much time is there left to get bells?"

Sasuke sighed. "Not much. When the sun sets, and that gives us around two, maybe one hour..."

"Gah, we wasted so much time!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "We? You were the one trying to run me down. Anyway, let's find Kakashi. We'll try until the last minute to succeed in getting those bells."

Naruto smiled. "Yeah!"

~sSs~

"Hm?" Kakashi peered over his book at his students. "Ready for a fight, now that you're done fighting each other, Sasuke, Naruto?"

Naruto snickered, "We've haven't got much time left, so we'll make it quick. Say Sensei, did you know that to get back here, me and Sasuke-kun had to beat a jounin and three genin? I think... it will be even quicker for us to defeat one jounin." It was a lie, but Kakashi didn't know that, right? Besides, they had to live up to their lie.

Naruto nodded to himself. "All right..." he began, holding a seal. "Let's see how strong my will of _Fire_ is... Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"

Kakashi only grinned beneath his mask. So, here's where the fun begins...

~sSs~

A half hour in, and they were so close, yet the bells were always just a breath from their fingertips. Naruto growled beneath his breath in frustration. "I won't lose around Sasuke! Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" One by one, Kakashi eliminated the clones, and Naruto's large chakra supply began to wear thin.

However, as quick as the silver-haired jounin swept through the orange clad genin, there were short moments that he stood still. Sasuke took advantage of every space, aiming kunai straight for the heart. Kakashi did, after all, tell him to try to kill him. "Kuso!" he snapped, glaring at the setting sun.

Slowly, Kakashi edged towards the trees. In a less open field, fewer clones could meet him. Unfortunately, that was where Sasuke needed him. "Closer," Sasuke muttered, following the mass of ever appearing Naruto's. "Closer." Kakashi was only a few hundred feet from the forest border. Where the trees started, Sasuke could make his move. "Closer." With a flip, he landed on a firm branch, hurling a number of kunai into the crowd. Now! Sasuke felt the strings sting his hands, but held on. He couldn't fail.

"Huh?" Kakashi's arms stuck to his sides, just seconds after his back slammed into the tree behind him.

"Dobe!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto wasn't getting them in time. In a few seconds, Kakashi could escape.

"I know, I know!" several of them shouted. Kakashi's stilled body was buried beneath a blonde army, and soon they were dispersed. "Get him!" Apparently, Kakashi escaped in time.

Sasuke glower at them, then checked the sun once more. Soon, they would be out of time. He chased after them hurriedly, but then, he heard an enthusiastic yell. "Naruto?"

"YATTA!" every Naruto called together. "We did it!" Sasuke couldn't believe it. Naruto took down a jounin? Hn. It was because Sasuke slowed him down that the dobe could catch up, right? However, after amongst the cheering, disapproval grew. "It's a replacement!"

So, they had failed... Did they really have to go back to the academy? All three of them?

"Time up!" Sasuke flinched. Turning around, he saw Kakashi at his shoulder.

He peered behind the man. "There are still a few minutes left," he countered, with a glare. Eyeing the small orbs on his belt, Sasuke took a kunai and thrust forward, hoping to cut the strings. And surprisingly, after all that effort, he cut one. It was still hanging by a thread, but, the second that Kakashi jumped away, it snapped. Sasuke's eyes widened. Did... he actually just... get it?

"Well done... Sasuke. But, the time limit has ended. You fail."

~sSs~

Announcing something that may or may not be interesting to you! For the fiftieth reviewer, I'll give out a one or two shot. Your choice, and PM the details. If you're anonymous... I guess, just say in the review. Although, I'd rather have it be an author here, on ff. net, so people can see their works.


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